A Tale of History
by Ultimagu
Summary: So you know the tale of Queen Ashelia? That is quite excellent, but there is far more than you would ever think between then and now. This is what happened after my child. WORK IN PROGRESS.
1. Prolouge

**AN: I do not own any part of the Final Fantasy XII universe except the crazy ideas I may write about for your viewing pleasure.**

**Review Commentary:**

**Rjalker: **That's great to hear! I'm sorry it took me so long to start doing my edits for this story, I've been really busy with...my other stories? _A Tale of History_ has been a pretty low priority on my list. Gomen!

**Scatterheart Angel: **I have to admit if it were not for your multitude of reviews I probably would have given up on this story by now. To answer your first review: I'm glad to hear that it sounds realistic. I had cut out some of the other characters as the story is a more retroactive understanding of what has happened in the past, and that requires that what historians have not kept becomes a blurred image. I will try to include more when I make the edits in the following chapters and attempt to make it a little more realistic in the wars (not entirely Dalmasca dominant). Trust me when I say that the chapters will be a little longer from now on (meaning the actual story, not the standardization I'm adding at the beginning and the end).

**DarkIsRising: **That's great to hear! I'm pleased to see you understand it as a historical account as opposed to a switch from p.o.v. to p.o.v. I will be shortly making much needed edits to the chapters 2 and 3 as well so I hope you come back to take a look at them!

**Kami, Bored, Huh?: **I'm pretty sure you usually go by the name Wrecker in my other anonymous reviews, and if not I apologize. There's a reason why I no longer ask you to look over my stories...

**Question, Dude, Trash: **Wrecker again, right? Your reviews are giving me a headache...

**_-_: **As soon as I can ...underscore dash underscore person!

**(Story)**

So I hear you know the story of Queen Ashelia and her exploits to prevent war. That is good, such a classic tale should be within every young person's mind. That piece of history is as important in the various turning points of our history as that of St. Ajora or the Dynast King. Remember these tales and what they mean for the course of history for they are our very origins.

I hear your professors were even pleased to see you referencing to the obscure parts of Queen Ashelia's memories; though they were, of course, displeased to note you stole away into the forbidden section of the library in order to obtain that information.

Frankly, I am pleased you had the audacity to display your knowledge in this matter. Your reference to the Occuria are somewhat biased; however, as professor Faust failed to mention in his notes back to you. The Occuria are being beyond our entire understanding, and thus remain an enigma in time.

Do not give me that look child, I have seen enough years to know what schemes you plot and the very edge of the haughty child you do not dare display but in your work. I have monitored your progress at the academy for many years now, and it is of my opinion, and my final say, that you be let in on what even the histories will not say.

You have shown a resplendent skill in retaining and seeking out the truth; in fact, you could be quite the anthropologist or historian if you'd release yourself of your biases and subjective theories.

In fact my child, I am here to dispel you of your biases with what you do not know.

Do you believe you can handle the secrets that are contained not within tomes, but within the minds of those who pass it on? Forbidden knowledge in it's own way.

What's that child? _Why _is it forbidden?

But because in the hands of man, it would destroy them as a society entirely. Naught but a man out of millions can withhold it, withstand it, and keep it locked away till they find another like themselves to pass it on.

I had, myself, feared that I would not find another like myself to pass this on to, but you show promising signs child. Promising signs. Do not that let that make you think you are above being disposed of, are we clear?

Good. Now then...

Do you believe yourself ready?

Then sit yourself cozily by that fire for the very stillness of the dust that is about to be released by unveiling these secrets could blanket you in darkness for decades.

Yes, it is as I said. So you know the tale of Queen Ashelia and her exploits. Well this tale goes beyond that and more.

It will cover the edges of the world and blanket your very understanding in darkness for your struggling mind to overcome and find the very real _truth_ to it all.

**(Story)**

**AN: November 25th, 2011: Wow! I can't believe it took me so long to get to _A Tale of History_! I've been working on a lot of my other stories like _Haremization_, _Tails Combined_, and my entire Brianback Series (_Eye of the Dragon_, _When Gaians Throw an Orgy_, _The End_, _After Mogul_, _Xenocide_, _Divine Intervention_, _Stairs to Heaven_, and _Memoirs of a Time Traveler_). That's a lot to work on in addition to other stories like _Gil by the Day_ or _Everything_. I have authored 32 stories on here, and so standardizing them all has been a pain in my ass! And that is on top of my college education and full-time job (and even a wife and son and deadly mother-in-law!).**

**But, if you really enjoy the story, let me know what you think of it in a review and I promise to answer in a commentary on it like in the beginning of this chapter.**

**REVIEW! OR YOUR SOUL IS FORFEIT!**

**Author's Announcements:**

I know hardly anyone reads my profile (which wouldn't matter since it's out of date anyway), so I have posted these following announcements in all of my stories to let you formally know that I will be attempting to write chapters for most of my stories once again. I cannot guarantee anything, but I am most willing to make the effort.

That's the important part. Here come the details (your queue to leave if you want).

**Reasons Why I Haven't Been Writing:**

Well…geez, put me on the spot without time for cookies or milk. I haven't been writing mostly because of the combined dedications my life has required of me. In the time since I wrote _Memoirs of a Time Traveler_ I have done the following things, each further complicating my life as a burgeoning adult:

1. Began a polyamorous relationship.

2. Managed to get my girlfriend of five years pregnant.

3. Fought with the parents of the newest member of our 'Triad' in the Triangular relationship.

4. Finally given up the idea of trying to treat both of my girlfriends equal in public status and married my pregnant girlfriend (to avoid the evil state of Indiana's bureaucracy).

5. Had my mother-in-law move in to help us with bills.

6. Had a child whom we call Alex.

7. Managed to obtain a 35 hour job (which previously had been 20 hours since after #3 but before #4).

8. Have continued my undergraduate education throughout the entire process.

**Reasons Why I Will Begin Writing Anew:**

These are the reasons why I'm more optimistic about a renewed writing!

1. Resigned from my job since my boss is a douche and was probably going to fire me anyway.

2. Finals are over!

3. Looking for another job and taking care of Alex, but still plenty of free time from the additional hours (some 70 in my week) which have been freed up recently.

4. Because I hate to see 'abandoned' on my stories!

I look forward to presenting everyone with wonderful new material on old ideas. Let it be known, however, that not all of my lack of posting is from a lack of writing. I have written three chapters for various stories when my computer crashed around seven months ago. Don't blame me, blame the elves.

So, without further ado, I bid you welcome into a new age of writing by Ultimagu.


	2. Dalmasca Under Ashelia

**AN: I do not own any part of the Final Fantasy XII universe except the crazy ideas I may write about for your viewing pleasure.**

**If you want to see the pictures that I use for this story (recommended) then here you go!**

**http:/ / s1083. photobucket .com/albums/j397/Ultimagu/**

**Just delete the spaces!**

**(Story)**

Now child listen well. Our forefathers walked amongst giants.

You know that the real cause of the war in 704 was a couple of different issues. Nabradia's allowance of Rozzarian airships to patrol their border antagonized the Archadians for sure. However, that was more of a smaller issue in the face of testing manufacted nethicite. It was by means of war that Nabudis fell to the power of the Midlight Shard. This action was order by Emperor Gramis himself, carried out by Judge Zecht, later to be known as Reddas.

Oh I see you failed to notice that minute detail. Well there is plenty more I assure you.

Emperor Gramis in years prior had killed his two eldest sons for attempting to take the throne for themselves. The emperor thus harbored ill feelings towards his remaining two sons, Vayne and Larsa. Vayne was cool and collected, whilst Larsa was too young to remember the betrayal of his elder brothers. Emperor Gramis attempted to keep Vayne from taking the throne, even if he did not want the Archadian Senate to groom his youngest son, Larsa, to do their bidding as Emperor.

Prince Vayne had been the general who, at the behest of his father, had struck down his elder brothers for their insurrection. Emperor Gramis would continue to blame himself for this action until the very hour of his death, and he carried that blame beyond the grave no doubt.

With Nabradia fallen to the powers of the Midlight Shard, Dalmasca was left alone to bear the burden of Nabradia's and Rozzaria's hopes to staunch the growing Archadian power. A few skirmishes near the Salikawood turned into a few skirmishes near the Mosphoran Highwaste, the entrance into Dalmasca from Archadian-held Rozzaria. However these minor skirmishes turned into the outright battle of Nalbina Fortress where the collected forces of the Dalmascan Army crumbled. Once the paling had fallen, there was little hope left for survival considering Archadia's superior air power.

You know as well as any that the young Prince Rasler died in this battle, felled by arrow of an imperial soldier. Later, the assassination of King Raminas after his signing of the surrender doomed all of Dalmasca to it's fate for two years as the ill-held subjects of Archadia. You have seen the price that empire must pay for too-rapid expansion, however.

What was unknown to Emperor Gramis was that Prince Vayne charged Judge Gabranth, lesser known as Noah fon Ronsenburg of the Republic of Landis, with many secret missions away from the prying eyes of the emperor.

What you know even less of is shrouded in it's own form of myth. It has been passed down that Judge Gabranth died in the battle over Archadia, with the giant of it's time the Sky Fortress Bahumut. That in fact, it was Basch fon Ronsenburg who took his twin's place as Judge Gabranth and helped end the war, fulfilling the order of Emperor Gramis to keep watch over Prince Larsa when he was but still a boy.

These are minor details. They are but the details that helped write the larger pages of history, and as Professor Faust has been keen on telling you, "they are the very foundation of history itself."

I read your unedited version as well and note a complete lack of your even mentioning the Occuria in this paper. I know their name is taboo amongst the commoners, but you must realize that as a scholar your knowing cannot be hampered by taboos. The system of today counts on this. Paradise for the unthinking, Power for the thinking. That is the system fine-tuned to this day by our very ancestors.

The Occuria are a little known species of immortals who ruled the ancient city of Giruvegan, the last remaining city of the Occuria. Long before our time, the Occuria pushed themselves to the brink of extinction and created the creatures of today to take their place. They had been mortals amongst themselves, and now they played as Gods.

They had at one point beget Humes, Viera, Nu Mou, Bangaa, Seeq, Moogles, and the Garif. These seven species ruled their world and were allowed to expand as they pleased. The species who became settled have remained settled since those days which was long before even Venat, the dissenting Occurian, could tell.

Venat, himself, was too young to know _being_ over 10,000 years of age before his unification with Emperor Vayne and subsequent death.

The Viera have always been in separate villages scattered amongst the ancient forests of the world, left over from the Occurian wars of the before time. The only visible village left of today dwells within Golmore Jungle. One of the others was exterminated by Rozzarian expansion. Another was scattered into the winds by the destruction of Yiazamat Woods on the Island of Rhea, just north of Dalmasca. The last of the four has never been found and recorded in history since it's creation. It is as just as likely they slipped off the edges of the known world before anyone found them and a place like the Feywood destroyed them as they attempted to harmonize with their surroundings.

The Garif have inhabited the Ozmone Plains as well as once inhabiting the Cerobi Steppes before Archadian expansion in 615.

The Bangaa and Seeq have been a wandering race since the fall of their early civilizations, among which are still being researched. However, it seems from the data we have at hand they once were one species that withstood the tests of time at the Ridorana Cataract as the guardians of the Pharos for the Occuria before the Humes of the day destroyed their culture and spread them to the winds.

The Nu Mou, by their own admission, inhabited the sky continents for the longest time until Humes gained the ability to fly and inhabited them, pushing the Nu Mou to be focused in Nabudis, which was destroyed, and Mount Bur-Omisace which hasn't been the same since the rising power of Bhujerba diverted it's attentions away from her founders and focused more on Hume affairs. The last center of Nu Mou cultured can be found deep in the south of Kerwon, where few by foot have been able to make it. The airships of 706 could not make it do to the Jagd. It was only in 731 when the ability to cross Jagd became more commonplace that the Nu Mou in the city of Zelinga were discovered by the rest of the world.

The Moogles are a curious race, having once been the lap dogs of the Occuria for far longer than any of the other seven races. Their fall in Occurian minds came when the Moogle leader Ai'sha declared that Occurian hands were not capable of handling mortals well. They were cast out of Giruvegan and retained little of the expertise they had once wielded in their former home. Instead they turned to the sky continents and made their homes there.

The more active race has always been the Humes: numerous, expansive, and ambitious. These traits made them a constant threat to the Occuria. Venat attempted to correct this, the youngest Occurian that remained, his methods brought about only madness. A scholar must recognize the difference between thought and action. Venat's thoughts, as best we can surmise, were neutral, as the teachings of Hzat say. But his actions were wrong for they nearly tore the world apart.

Today, neither of the Archadian or Rozzarian cultures dominate life. They are but the subcultures for historians and mummers. Now, what became of their empires?

Yes, I see the look in your eyes. The look of the knowing, but it remains false in and of the fact that you lack the whole truth.

Queen Ashelia pronounced something major within her time. They were going to rediscover the past and make Rabanastre the center of the world. Volunteers by the hundreds explored and mapped the lower levels of Rabanastre and our archives still hold the crumbling statues made in some of their honor as they fearlessly explored what had been left to become the home of beasts and monsters.

Initially meant only as a move to improve the local infrastructure Queen Ashelia's revitalization project had the benefit of discovering a partially functional doorway to the western gate. Such an amazing discovery prompted the royal scholars in Dalmasca to study the mechanism so thoroughly, that they managed to repair it. Using the experience that they had gained they also managed to repair the eastern doorway as well. This boost in roadways was but the beginning for an increase in economic activity which would be followed by prosperity.

What remained unknown for a long time was that the action of exploring the underworld of Rabanastre had the benefit of increasing storage in the city which would benefit them in times of war in case they were to be besieged once more. Queen Ashelia may have been on friendly terms with the great empires on either of her frontiers, but they would not always remain on friendly relations with her own kingdom of Dalmasca. Her own beloved Prince Rasler had died due to one empire, and the other was constantly trying to take the Yensa Jagd for its' natural resources. How could the peace that Al-Cid, Ashelia, and Larsa had maintained in their efforts against Venat and Emperor Vayne ever be maintained with their dark, intertwined history?

Therefore the boost in economy, along with the added living space, allowed for a more prosperous Rabanastre to spread it's own wealth along to Nalbina. Now, before the War of 704, Nalbina was quite simply a fortress only. It's might was what the Archadians feared, in that it would be the forward base of Rozzarian fleets, both by water and by air which prompted the Archadians to push on beyond Nabudis and besiege Nalbina as well.

The Archadians, while strengthening Nalbina in case of Rozzarian attack, gave sanction to the building of the town of Nalbina which budded up in the desert as a home for those who desperately needed a job in occupied Dalmasca.

During the subsequent years under Dalmascan rule once more, Nalbina would reap many of the benefits of what was initially discovered beneath Rabanastre. The promising finds beneath Rabanastre spurred volunteers in Nalbina to remap the lower levels of the fortress proper, and lo and behold what they found. Far beneath the fortress was a pile of rubble which lead into the Barheim Passageway. These passageways, originally somewhat mines in their original usage, had been used as a means to connect long distances. When these were subsequently built up as an extension of the fortress, an opening was discovered into the Estersand, which was formed into Fort Nebra.

Fort Nebra proved a prime location for it's own civilian population, and Fort Nebra became Fortress Nebra with the town of Nebra surrounding it. Nebra would be the prime location for any invading army to pierce into the connection between Rabanastre and Nalbina, previously the only large centers of population and culture in the desert kingdom. Thus the fortification of the Nebra fortress and budding city became one of Queen Ashelia's primary objectives later in her rule.

One must question the demographics of this budding kingdom, however. How did a population of some 80,000 souls turn into a population of nearly 150,000? The time period not expressed is about 25 years, along with a continual inflow of immigrants from both the Landis, and Nabradian regions of Archadia.

The year was 731 and in this year the skystone, which could cross Jagd and was also known as manufacted nethicite, became commonplace enough that social interactions and trade between Archadia, Dalmasca, and Rozzaria became all the more commonplace. This new level of interaction brought about suspicion, but it also brought amazement at the extensive leaps the Dalmascans had made under Queen Ashelia's rule. The woman was well into her forties, a more wizened age that left her, in her free time, to pursue romantic interests amongst 'unsavory' sky pirates as what they would have been named at the time.

In fact, the unedited version of her memoirs mentions the equally aging sky pirate Vaan of Yensa. The famed sky pirate who invaded the sky continent of Dorstonis and looted the Lhusu mines of over 3.4 million gil without a single thing being noticed by the Staras Company or the guards of the Marquis.

What remained unknown even after discovery was that was one of the larger thefts. With Marquis Halim Ondore the IV gone, only to be replaced by a more cynical and tyrannical Marquis Shemling Ondore the I, and so relations with Bhujerba were constantly shifting in favor of war and hostility. Bhujerba and her 'allied' city-states on Dorstonis were continually ill-favored.

These series of thefts made by Vaan of Yensa, are speculated as having funded the entire revitalization project and the later territorial expansion project. As the exchequer records of Dalmasca no longer exist, having been burned in the later destruction of the island-library of Yeveran, this is only speculation.

The only territorial gain made by Dalmasca under Queen Ashelia was in 725 with the reclamation of the islands of Yeros and Miniap, two small islands that had been previously held under the lordship of her father but had been abandoned with the Archadian invasion in 704.

As it stood, the city of Rabanstre along with Nebra and Nalbina, the three cities were only in the beginnings of their upward climb. It was in a cursory clearing project that the Barheim Passageway revealed two paths on the same day, no less, of all things. With a team of training soldiers and veterans clearing out the back paths, a way into Garamsythe Waterway was discovered. On the same day, a pile of rubble was moved to reveal a path that, once explored, led all the way to the Mosphoran Highwaste. These two new discoveries prompted the third and final project of her time, the Dalmascan strengthening project. If Dalmasca was linked quite thoroughly with it's military, a strong resistance would keep rogues from implementing the system, and spies were systematically eliminated using certain arcane magicks which have long since been lost to our knowledge.

The Garamsythe Waterway was revamped and reorganized to continue and perform it's cursory duties of cleaning out the area of Rabanastre, but also a series of suspended walkways connected the heart of Rabanastre to the Barheim Passageway and the military opportunities it held.

Unbeknown to the rest of the world, the Dalmascan Kingdom had prepared itself so thoroughly that in the coming times, it would not be smacked down likely as it had during the age of King Raminas at the turn of the eighth century.

The key had been in taking the crumbling form of the past, and reshaping it to the kingdom's needs. That is the key to any progressive measure, and you will see it time and time again in the annuals.

This is the part you seemed most perplexed on, so listen well.

Queen Ashelia died with no spouse, having never married. She did, however, die with an heir. Prince Dio was but 17 when his mother died in 754, a full 50 years after her father's death. The prince Dio had been a gangly boy before he grew into his form: a tall and light-haired man with deep sky-blue eyes.

The father of Prince Dio was unknown at the time, but with him being born of his mother, the Queen, he was unquestionably of noble blood, if at least partially. The Dalmascan people gave a mixed response over his ascension to the throne, but had enough years to ponder the question by the time their queen had died that it became expected that Prince Dio would become their king.

The suspected patriarch of Prince Dio was rumored, and proven later, to be that of Vaan of Yensa, the sky pirate who died three years later in the depths of Nabudis, attempting to quell the spirits within.

Yes, yes, go now. You'll be late for bed if you dawdle, and don't bother with questions. All will be answered in time. I'll summon you another night for the rest.

**(Story)**

**AN: November 25th, 2011: How is two updates in one day? This is taking a lot out of me, but I'm making steady progress with the edits. You should support my edits with a review. ...o.o...**


	3. Archadia Under Larsa

**AN: I do not own any part of the Final Fantasy XII universe except the crazy ideas I may write about for your viewing pleasure.**

**(Story)**

Ah, good! I see you came at the messenger's bid. That is good, we might eradicate the rebellious nature out of you yet my child.

Where we last, do remind me. Hmm? Oh yes, the end of Queen Ashelia's reign can be marked in the year 754. That would have made her, hmm...yes, a full 67 years of age at her death. Not terrible, for those days. Her beloved, Vaan of Yensa died three years later...hmm? Oh I already spoke of this.

Well, age does seem to be affecting me after all. Perhaps it is the fates who have delivered a mind such as yours now as I begin to decay.

Then I suppose a change in light is needed. But where to next in the spiraling web of history? Ah, Archadia seems like a logical choice.

The Archadian Empire stood on the vast majority of the Valendian continent, along with a colony on Kerwon. The imperial seat was Archades, deep within the heartland of Archadia. During the reign of Emperor Larsa Solidor, the empire knew peace. However it also knew recession. The accounting of the loss of such a heavily funded project as the sky fortress _Bahumut_ and it's subsequent destruction left the investing nobility rather tight stringed with their purses.

This meant that from the get-go in his reign, Emperor Larsa was trying to manage a vast army, air armada, and navy with little to see it's pay. Taxes, to make matters worse, were being re-hashed due to the previous Senate's treason against the empire. This fabricated story allowed Larsa to organize much of the empire to his liking, which would end up better suiting his and the empire's needs than simply moving on would have been.

The first thing to be changed, was something which was not changed. The Senate was not reinstated under Larsa's rule. The people would lose faith in their monarchs if they knew they were no longer above killing their own family to take the thrown. Thus the rule Larsa set out for himself in 706, was that of the rising star for House Solidor. His brothers and father and even forefathers had been vigorously militant. He could not abandon such an action without losing the faith of the people, nor face with a resilient Rozzarian empire after the extent of Dalmascan advancements were made obvious to both super powers.

In the beginning however, the navy was stripped to the bone, becoming entirely a regulated administrative branch of the military which would then employ those of Balfonheim, after much negotiating, to employ their own sea-faring ships in stead of the Archadian make. While this kept up the "navy's" presence, it also reduced the amount of expenditures the throne was spending per year by a calculated ten percent. This was a much needed cut in expenditures that House Solidor and Archadia required before faith could be restored in the monarchy.

In 710, Larsa announced his intended marriage with a low noble, Penelo fon Ronsenburg, a never before seen noble from the Republic of Landis, claimed to be the younger sister to the infamous Basch fon Ronsenburg. This was met with an outcry on two sides. The few still loyal to what had been Landis surrounding the Cerobi Steppe were joyous that their people would live on. Very staunch purists amongst Archadian ranks however, firmly disregarded the marriage as nothing more than a young boy being totted around. After all, in 710, Larsa would only have been 16, still a good four years younger than Penelo.

After the debacle subsided and business continued as usual, it would be 716 before anything major happened outside of Larsa's continual shaping of the empire. In 716, Marquis Halim Ondore the IV died of old age, flirting with 74. His successor, Shemling Ondore, was a known militant amongst the other three major powers of the time.

Rozzarians welcomed the new Marquis as a man amongst men. The Dalmascans paid homage, but little respect. Shemling had been one of the few more vocal Bhujerban nobles who had denounced Dalmasca as a cowing nation, laying their heads low before the Archadians. Larsa, and his empire, treated the new Marquis as one might expect. With open arms and a pistol to the back.

It was, admittedly, Larsa's first militaristic move as emperor and it met with fair results. Bhujerba would not back out of selling it's magicite exclusively to Dalmasca and Archadia, whom Larsa felt would need it if the military in Rozzaria deposed of the imperial Margrace family which held the reigns over their vast military.

The Marquis Shemling acquiesced and then for the rest of his days plotted on how to get Bhujerba off of the sky continent Dorstonis, and onto Archadian lands. His hatred of Archadia, and to some extent Dalmasca, was a well known open secret. Nobody said anything in public, but everybody knew that the Bhujerbans had their eyes on Archadia.

Archadia was beginning to prosper once more by 728, with relatively little in the way of interference, trade was flourishing between Dalmasca and Archadia. No easy means yet lay in anyone's hands to reach Rozzarian frontiers except by sea.

However, the Dalmascans had the only good coastline, on the island of Rhea, where trade barely trickled in since it was not a priority in Queen Ashelia's rule. It was, after all, just a backwoods. But it would mean a lot to the Archadians to be able to get their hands on it. The island that they had retained after the Galtean War of 704-706 was Salzar, deeper into the Flipo Sea than Rhea and almost entirely Jagd.

It was in this year that the heir to the throne would be born, at long last. Prince Halim, named after his great-second-uncle, Marquis Halim Ondore the IV. Prince Halim would be the only child of the royal union, Penelo having lost much blood fell into coma which lasted until a magickal accident caused her to reverse age. The bizarre incident is well recorded as the beginning of the search for immortality.

By this time, Judge Gabranth, formerly Basch fon Ronsenburg though that was a well-kept secret, was aging into his upper years as well, and playing the part of Noah fon Ronsenburg, his twin, did not have to pretend to grieve for the loss of his 'sister'.

Basch did have a reason to grieve. He had, in a way, failed his brother. His charge, now grown into a man, had been deeply hurt. The reaction of which was far more violent than had been expected from his youth.

Archadia recalled it's 2nd Kerwon Expeditionary Force in 729 and labeled the Kerwon colonization had been wrong in it's very foundation. The home front was what needed colonization, not a distant shore in competition with the Rozzarians.

The 2nd airship fleet was then sent, as part of negotiations, to be used by the Dalmascans to supplement their own forces in the face of an increasingly hostile Rozzaria and Bhujerba. While Bhujerba did not prove to be a formidable foe, having the smallest airship fleet despite being on a sky continent, Rozzaria seemed to have less and less control of it's military by the day.

This being in the year 728, the situation remained tense until 731, when manufacted nethicite became common to use in order to cross Jagd. This, as I've mentioned before, opened the eyes of both super powers of the power and wealth Dalmasca was truly attaining for itself.

It was in 731, also, that Larsa signed and granted permission of those in Old Archades to rebuild their homes using the funds that Dalmascans paid to borrow their 2nd fleet. This revitalization effort, marked doggedly after the efforts the Dalmascans were making in leaps and bounds, marked a distinct change in Archadian demographics.

No longer were there extreme poor and extreme rich. A middle class emerged from the building process and most of this middle class stayed in Old Archades or moved to Nalbina. A fair percentage however rose from the ashes of Old Archades and formed a city down the river, Dadu. This urban/mercantile effort was met with rich rewards as the boosted economy served to replace the population leaving for Dalmasca.

However, a bitter ended Larsa, now even more chipped with the loss of Basch due to old age, assigned Dadu to have a military station built their, along with a factory to produce all airships. They were, after all, losing a fair amount of fighters in trying to perfect them before the next war. Fighters had proved to be more destructive than the _Bahumut_ herself, having taken down over eight light cruisers, and three cruisers with massed effort. That did not account for the sheer amount of other fighters which had been lost in the battle over Rabanastre, for which the _Bahumut_ still stood towering at the southern end of the city.

Dadu, thus, with a steady source of income grew and grew until it burst forth in 756 and formed a third township down the river Tykes, and named it Peking. Peking was closer to the coast, but still far away from most major airship ports, that it was officially given a grant to construct one and the overflowing income helped support a growing populace. It is to this sort of land, that Larsa, an old sickly man much like his own father had been before him, understood the sad face his father always seemed to wear.

In his remaining years, till his death in 771, Larsa toned down many of the militaristic destructiveness of the empire. His son, Prince Halim became Emperor Halim the following day of his father's death. Larsa died at the ripe old age of 77 from heart failure. Halim, who was 43 himself, would face a far greater challenge than bringing an empire back from doom. He would face open war itself.

**(Story)**

**AN: November 30th, 2011: Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to make this particular edit. I've been working like crazy on those new maps and getting them up to par where I had the last batch I had. I'm currently editing the rivers and the cities on the maps post-706 War so it may take some time for me to put them up on photobucket but here's a way to get to those pictures when they are completed. I do have the three originals and the three days of work I put into making the new basic map template up on there. I hope you enjoy!**

**Please Review or else we'll be forced to regurgitate you. O.O**

**http :/ / s1083. Photobucket .com/ albums/j397/Ultimagu/**

**Just delete the periods. Till next time guys!**


	4. Rozzaria Under AlCid

**AN: I do not own any part of the Final Fantasy XII universe except the crazy ideas I may write about for your viewing pleasure.**

**(Story)**

Now we've covered the two more prominent members for the earlier time period. My child, you remember them of course: Dalmasca and Archadia. Two powers advancing the age. Now we shall hear of the opposite.

Rozzaria was an empire ruled by it's military. Though the Margrace family was making progress in 706, the initial shock over Dalmascan and even Archadian advancement made those efforts for naught in 731.

You see, while Dalmasca encompassed an area of desert, which made it more inhospitable to invaders, and Archadia was a series of steppes and mountain ranges which made it seem even more inhospitable to any land invasion force; it was a massive land army which still made up the bulk of Rozzarian power.

On the completely other hand, Rozzaria had a desert in it's eastern portion bordering Dalmasca, though there was not much of it. Most of Rozzaria was wide rivers and lush plains. Even it's northern holds on the island of Zanzabar was most plains and amber waves of grain.

The only mountain within Rozzarian territory was deep within it's territory. There Rozares, the capital, was a city of tiers as it built upon itself for centuries. It was from this place that Rozzaria grew and grew until it held almost all of Ordalia, just as Archadia nearly held all of Valendia. Yet Archadia did not control the western portion of Valendia, while Rozzaria did not control the northern portion of Ordalia. It was simply more than they could maintain at the moment.

This does not speak of the colonies the empires set up in southern Kerwon. Yet when Archadia fell back, Rozzaria felt it a priority to cut it's losses as well and pulled back. Kerwon was simply too thick of the Golmore Jungle and the Feywood to make much progress.

However you wish to learn of the internal workings of Rozzaria, no? Well my child, it is not difficult to explain.

Much like the Judges of Archadia, the military of Rozzaria was ruled by a system of Gnomes. Named so for ancient gods of the region who were said to rule the plains before Humes. These same Gnomes opposed the ruling family, the Margrace Imperial line. Such as it was that they naturally opposed the rise of Al-Cid de Margrace to the throne in 715. He was elected by the family senate, the gathering of elders amongst the numerous Margrace to elect he who stood as most prominent amongst the family.

Al-Cid was the man who appeared to have everything in perspective. In 715 he had numerous reforms pushing the military to the corners of power in government. From Zanzabar to Rozares and all of the small fort towns in between, Rozzaria was enjoying the final fruits of it's dynastic power.

For the empire enjoyed this peaceful era until 731. The shock of how powerful the tiny Dalmascan Kingdom had become was enough for a snake's paralyzing bite to strike into the hearts of Rozzarians. Worried now of their neighbors once more, including the fear Rozzarians had of a collective force of the now seemingly spiteful Bhujerbans and the angry Archadians, both images given by their leaders, and all it took was a more poisonous bite from the military that the empire fell into a state of near civil war.

Even while Al-Cid lay dead, poisoned to death by something in his wine, Gnomes and Margraces squabbled amongst each other to form two distinct lines. The Margraces held the more populous cities of Rozares, MaudDep, and Yorn. MaudDep was on the border with Dalmasca. While Yorn was on the the river Tibre which straddled the coastline close to Kerwon. The Gnomes on the other hand held the numerous fort towns in between these vast and distant cities, marking them as defenders of the rural man.

This explosive nature and tedious setting kept the Margraces from naming a new emperor without fear of total civil war. Thus the Margrace family senate attempted to rule in his stead but found that difficult to do, whereas the Gnomes were used to strategics together but lacked the mind set on how to govern citizens outside of martial law.

These trenches for either side held a no man's land. And that was actual war itself. They dared not cross the line whilst the other powers grew more powerful in front of their very own eyes.

It would remain this way until 771, when Larsa fell ill and died. It was then that war made it grim call to the battlefield. 40 years of tensions had set the empire up for defeat however. Eventually, civil war would break out. And eventually, that would tear it apart, piece by shattered, war-torn piece.

Now, you have questioned why the history books call this the time of Rozzaria under Al-Cid de Margrace, and what you have before you is the difficulty in periodization. If I were to state there is an observable change in Dalmasca from the time of the the fall of the Mariahn Dynasty and the eventual rise of the Galtea Family beginning with King Raithwall. The problem with this periodization is that although it makes perfect sense on the Galtean Peninsula, it does not make sense in Kerwon where there was no noticeable change at all.

I hope that is enough to settle your questions.

**(Story)**

**AN: December 21st, 2011: Hey guys! Thanks for being patient with me during these edits. I grew kind of bored with the map-making, to be honest, and because of that you guys have had to sorry. So, I do apologize but get over it. It's my life...it's now or never...I ain't gonna live fore-...**

**Anyway, please review. I love reviews and I greatly appreciate them! The new maps will be posted here:**

**http:/ / s1083. photobucket .com/albums/j397/Ultimagu/**

**AN2: May 21st, 2012: Fixed a small chronological error.  
**


	5. Bhujerba Under Shemling

**AN: I do not own any part of the Final Fantasy XII universe except the crazy ideas I may write about for your viewing pleasure.**

**(Story)**

Now you have come to me for the final piece to this early puzzle. Bhujerba.

This initial period cannot be explained without all four powers explained in such detail as to understand the consequences of what happened next and why it happened.

Bhujerba in 706 was ruled by the Marquis Halim Ondore the IV. His rule had seen many adventures, but his own adventure was over shortly before anything could be done with the remainder of his reign.

His successor, Shemling Ondore took the title of Marquis and the helm of the collected sky cities on Dorstonis. These numerous cities would eventually rise to something greater than anything singular under their individual reign. But that is for another time.

In 714 Shemling took the throne, and it was in 714 that Emperor Larsa pulled his strings to keep Shemling in line. This matter we have remarked upon before, and how Shemling's policies were to be biased because of them.

One would think that Shemling's rule was tyrannical. It was, in a way. Shemling imposed laws that required outsiders to be easily identifiable. If they were not, they were extradited back to their home country and fined 35,000 gil.

However to his own people, Shemling was a kind and benevolent ruler, a fact often missed or ignored by historians. He lowered their taxes by one percent and offered them rewards for beneficial ideas that Bhujerba could carry out. As it was, it was possible to do so with the direct use of the other sky cities.

You should never ignore an entire side of an argument simply because it does not agree with your findings. If you address counter-arguments before they are addressed to you, your argument will be all the stronger. Remember this young acolyte.

Now where was I...?

Oh yes. Among these projects was the Tunnel Project, which connected all mines on Dorstonis by a series of traveling tunnels, which were then funneled out of the mine into the city. This allowed for numerous new projects to begin since it brought the power even closer together.

That may sound 'silly' to you, but it is a fact not often caught on to. How different is city A from city B even though they be only 20 leagues apart? How much more different is city A from city C then even though they're only 50 leagues apart? Bhujerba and Yen, for example, are but 29 leagues apart, and yet they remain as politically distant as black and white.

So when the Tunnel Project was complete in 729, it sealed the cultural bonding done between Bhujerba and the other sky cities once the ability to cross Jagd became possible in 731 and the extent of Dalmasca's progress became obvious.

By the time 731 had rolled around and the death of Al-Cid de Margrace had become official news, the expansive powers that be were working against the world of man.

In Bhujerba, the growing power of Dalmasca and the centralizing of Archadia as well as the volatility of Rozzaria convinced the sky cities to unite, permanently against all outside sources. Since Bhujerba enjoyed the regal statehood as leader of their previous loose collection, and held more military might than any of the other four cities, they were crowned capital of the the Bhujerban Principality. Marquis became Prince, and thus Prince Shemling hemmed up an age old problem and modernized the entire edge of the continent. His intended plan was to make the entire continent's skyline to become city, leaving the central section of the continent for the more rural and natural areas of the Principality.

This news was accepted all around by a further increase in tension. Queen Ashelia began new projects, thus further projecting the Dalmascans into a higher state of prominence amongst their neighbors. Emperor Larsa began his own projects of furthering the Archadian Empire. Whilst the budding tensions in Rozzaria did not allow for anything major to occur in opposition.

By the time the 754 came around, Shemling was an old man himself and slowly creeping towards his death. By the time 771 came around, Shemling had a stroke hours after Emperor Larsa had died. It was reported he was so glad to continue his plans in peace, that he died of the joy of it. The mentioning of a knife by his young ward, the next prince, Prince Halim the I was not reported. Though you can imagine it made quite the impression on the aging Prince and the palace guards who discovered the scene.

**(Story)**

**AN: May 20th, 2012: Wow. I have gone for so long that I almost forgot I even had embarked on this journey on rewriting most of my fanfiction. Can you believe this story came out in 2009? Yikes! Anyway, I have time for the first time in a very...very...very long time. And it's not going to last, so I've begun writing the new chapter 10 and making the edits for these earlier chapters as well. By the time an update gets sent out I doubt any of you will really care. I can always try though!**

**As always, leave me a review. This story, despite only being some 15,000 words at the moment still remains one of my most reviews, behind**_** Fiancee **_**and **_**Tails Combined **_**of course. I could always use the motivation to stop reading about plague in British Bombay for a little while.**

**As a side note, in the next chapter I'll put a small list of rulers and their life-spans so you have a concise chart to compare before the War of 784.**


	6. Advances to War

**AN: I do not own any part of the Final Fantasy XII universe except the crazy ideas I may write about for your viewing pleasure.**

**(Story)**

Now my child we must understand that it was in the year 784 that the tragedy that befalls man occurred. However, I have thus far given you the reign of four territories that more or less have fallen into that general time. Yet, there is one that did not. The Dalmascan Kingdom.

We last left off with Dalmasca in full detail in the year 754, the year that Queen Ashelia died and that Prince Dio was crowned king. This 30 year time period is not as blank and even as one might expect in the shorter periods left undisclosed with the other three.

King Dio, born in 737 to the Queen Ashelia and Vaan of Yensa, a sky pirate suspected of robbing the other three powers blind in order to fund Dalmascan expansion. King Dio is reported to have long dusty yellow hair and a wide, stout nature that did not leave him like a pole, but more like a totem. He was a rock which would fuel the growing expansion of Dalmascan might.

In 754, with his mother gone, King Dio sent his father forth on an official quest to quell the beasts of Nabudis. The area was leaking powerful monsters which the Archadians were not only not dealing with, but directing south into Dalmascan lands (naturally a political issue which only a world-hero was capable of dealing with).

With the source being fought under official note, as if daring Emperor Larsa to try and stop them, even if the move was beneficial to both states, King Dio returned his look to the infrastructure which his mother had set up.

One could travel by land and find themselves deep underground and follow a single winding path to arrive at another beloved Dalmascan city. Nebra, Nalbina, and Rabanastre enjoyed the tranquility of their area due to the enforcement of palings to keep beasts away, as well as a vigilant sweeping army which regularly trained against the beasts of the areas that were more frequently traveled now.

King Dio found two areas of interest, early on in his reign. To reach either Archadia or Rozzaria by land, one must travel a long winding road which had long been in disrepair. King Dio would not allow it. His first goal was to establish more friendly connections with the Archadians, and in order to do so, land travel had to become much more safe.

A collected effort, with minimal effort on the side of the Archadians, was then launched in 758, a full year after the death of Vaan of Yensa, to improve the land route to Archadia through Archadian lands. The Dalmascan road was in very good shape. It was the Phon Coast road, as it was referred to as, that was the problem. The official roads had long since worn away. A complete overhaul would have to be arranged.

With local effort included in the Mosphoran Highwaste area, a suspension bridge connected the towering peaks of the area to level out in Salikawood. In Salikawood, all of the wooden bridges were replaced with finer, sturdier wood. This was then reinforced for a variety of local townships to spring up.

What was left unsaid was that these townships could be used as jumping points in either direction during warfare. In an area where airships would mean nothing, this was an advantage that King Dio could and would use to his advantage.

In Phon Coast, an original idea of raised ground over the area was left after a series of beast attacks which crippled the entire project. Therefore the network in Salikawood was connected to the open sea, and from there, bridges would connect the island system along the coast till Balfonheim was reached. Funding for a further project was scrapped to connect Balfonheim to Archades by land when Peking was built with a river harbor which would connect it to the open sea.

This project was completed, per say, in 764.

You must not forget that the political policies of a country are part and parcel of the narrative we construct into that loose term 'history'. Failing to realize this you will become bored with these 'ramblings' as I've heard you discuss with your friends. Oh ho! You think I am not able to walk these halls at night time too? Hmmm?

Very well, apologize later. I have more to tell and this candle is yet burning low.

So...

Meanwhile, before Archadian investors had run dry, King Dio had switched his focus to the Rozzarian Empire. It was clear that it was embroiled in the near catastrophic state of tipping towards civil war. Therefore a far more secure road network would be needed.

The path set up by the machinery left by the Rozzarian Empire in 392 was still in decent shape. However, for the sheer size of people that was being considered, it would simply not do.

King Dio set forth some of his own royal architects to survey the deconstruction of these large machines. They were torn down and would be used for the final project, which sparked the travesty that befall man.

Instead of the machinery, a network of metal bridges and area was used at a height of 10 feet to keep it out of range of the local humanoid Yensan people. This was such a complete trying project that one of the larger platforms became the fortress town of Yazul, which would be officially recognized as a royal city of Dalmasca in the following years. For now, it's paling and high stone walls kept the local Yensan in line.

When the road was complete in 769, it wound it's way through the Jagd all the way to MaudDep, where much to the surprise of the Rozzarians, many of their own numbers left them to populate Dalmasca. This rapid depopulation was seen as weakness by the Gnomes in the eastern section who sought to reduce the number of great cities to two and present a unified front against foreign invasion.

This invasion lead to massive causalities in 771, the year Emperor Larsa died to be replaced by his son Halim. This first open battle of internal struggle within the Rozzarian Empire lead to a coalition of forces with the Dalmascans under King Dio, the Archadians under Emperor Halim the II, and the Dorstonians under Prince Halim the I went in by the new land route and by air to surround and subjugate the area.

When, after three hours, the Gnomes vs. Margraces vs. coalition Tri had failed to produce anything other than a ruined city, it became obvious that the fighting was wasteful. The first to pull out were the Dalmascans with minimal losses. They had used the battle as a testing ground for their elite units anyway, and had only promised three hours to the coalition. When the Archadians pulled out with their new 8th Armada in full reverse under fire from the ruined city walls, the Gnomes renewed their invasion and the city wall turrets turned inward.

The Dorstonians were the final ones to leave, after the eighth day of battle. Prince Halim the I felt he had successfully proven that Dorstonians were of superior make than the others.

This, my child, proved to be the downfall for all in their squabbling. Three hours had been promised so that an official view of Dalmascans could be made. Whilst others were fighting bitterly and slowly draining their power, the full force of the Dalmascan army lay in wait just beyond the border.

After the Dorstonians had left the battle scene, the Dalmascans returned in such force that both Gnomes and Margraces could not hold up against them despite joining together.

Claiming ancient holds to the land, King Dio officially claimed the area around MaudDep and renamed after it's old name, Hungares. Without the Gnomes or the Margraces able to retaliate due to a fear of betrayal from the other, the Margrace Royal Council officially said that King Dio could have the city.

Hungares was overhauled within three years time, even being connected to the Barheim Passageway. With this, the two frontiers of the kingdom were rapidly more and more defensible. Hungares was even equipped to be able to withstand more firepower than it had during the invasion which had preceded it's fall under Rozzarian rule.

Now with an improved wall, and the technology of the turrets being transfered and used in Rabanastre, Nebra, Nalbina, and Yazul, one might postulate the aging King Dio might be satisfied at last. His royal vaults were beginning to look empty in comparison to their once proud gleaming look.

Instead, in 773, a new project was hatched. Two fortress cities to the North, and two fortress cities to the West. However, Rabanastre was a city. It's walls might be upgraded, and it might be deeper within it's own territory than before, but an armada could simply bypass the other four cities and come in from an alternate angle. It would be unorthodox, as there would be little in the way for a close prep before the siege began, but it could be done. That had proven in the War of 706, when the Bahumut had came in from the East.

King Dio proclaimed to his people that the decrepit monument to their surviving state, the wreckage of the Bahumut, would be fashioned into a fortress for Dalmascan use.

The crowds of course were ecstatic. Hard times seemed to be approaching, with war on the horizon. If Rabanastre could be made into a city you simply did not want to approach, all the better for them. Many of them were refugees from Hungares before it had switched hands. They knew what it would be like, they had rushed off to see their own home and seen the utter wreckage that had been wrought.

The first work was sweeping it out, cleaning it up. Passageways were formed and the entire outside was scrapped and refitted for a spiraling network of cannons and hidden hangers which did not have to have attackers flying out of them, or even a full storage behind them. A series of platforms was built around the central core so that they could raise or lower, and turn all about as they pleased in order to divert attackers in any given direction they needed.

When the project was nearly complete in 783, it's straightened appearance alerted both Archadians and Dorstonians that it was operational once more. The paling attached to it's top even strengthened the paling over the city.

Thus a private meeting between Emperor Halim the II and Prince Halim the I convinced both that a united effort against the Dalmascan Kingdom was much needed.

This is the travesty that befalls man. War. In 784 both Empire and Principality declared war and launched a full scale invasion, their ultimate aim was to subvert the growing power that was Dalmasca.

**(Story)**

**AN: May 21st, 2012: Hey guys! Are you enjoying the edits? I know I'm enjoying some peace and solidarity in my household for once: no screaming baby, no moody wife, no pain-in-the-ass mother-in-law (Lord Satan), and no damn barking dogs! Sadly this is only because they're asleep and I'm not. I need to be ready for work tomorrow night anyway, so might as well swing my sleep schedule back around to sleeping during the days.**

**Now for that list I promised!**

**Dalmasca**

**King Raminas B'Nargin Dalmasca the III: Lived 637 to 704. Reigned 653 to 704.**

**704 to 706 marks the Dalmascan Protecterate under the Archadian Empire.**

**Queen Ashelia B'Nargin Dalmasca the I: Lived 688 to 754. Reigned 706 to 754.**

**King Dio Dalmasca of Yensa the I: Lived 737 to ?. Reigned 754 to ?.**

**Archadia**

**Emperor Gramis Gana Solidor the II: Lived 610 to 706. Reigned 671 to 706.**

**Emperor Vayne Carudas Solidor the I: Lived 684 to 706. Reigned 706.**

**Emperor Larsa Ferrinas Solidor the V: Lived 694 to 771. Reigned 706 to 771.**

**Emperor Halim Ronsenburg Solidor the II: Lived 728 to ?. Reigned 771 to ?.**

**Rozzaria**

**Emperor Alehandro Margrace the III: Lived 665 to 715. Reigned 692 to 715.**

**Emperor Al-Cid de Margrace the X: Lived 690 to 731. Reigned 715 to 731.**

**731 to 771 marks the 'unstable' period without direct conflict between royalists and the Gnomes.**

**771 to ? marks the Rozzarian Civil War.**

**Bhujerba**

**Marquis Halim Ondore the IV: Lived 643 to 716. Reigned 669 to 716.**

**714 to 716 marks the advanced age of the Mqs. Halim Ondore and his heir-apparent acts in his stead.**

**Prince Shemling Ondore the I: Lived 700 to 771. Reigned 716 to 771.**

**Prince Halim Ondore the I: Lived 749 to ?. Reigned 771 to ?.**


	7. War of 784, Prelude to the Occuria

**AN: I do not own any part of the Final Fantasy XII universe except the crazy ideas I may write about for your viewing pleasure.**

**(Story)**

Welcome, welcome! This past fortnight has been splendid hasn't it? The Occult Celebration was fabulous and I felt as spry as a 140 year old on his honeymoon. Oh don't give me that look. You forty-year-olds have it made in this world. They used to not send children such as yourself to our universities of the world until the infantile age of 16! 16! Can you believe my words? Now when you are exiting your elementary and entering your intermediary, back then they were being rushed headlong into the beginning of their entire career!

Can you imagine the life of one such as yourself whose life is already _half_ over! By the look upon your face I can tell it strikes you dumb.

Ho-ho, but that is a comparison for another day I think. Yes, I think that gives me more to ponder, reflect, and refract for you later on down the road.

Now where was I whipper snapper? What? The term? It's ancient. We've as of yet still been unable to identify it's full meaning other than it was used by elders of a society. It feels almost comical in it's usage.

Again, I reiterate, where was I?

The beginning of the end? That hardly makes sense. That would imply that I'm closer to now than I am to that abstract then. Yet we've met only a fortnight still, and there is so much yet to cover. Discoveries not yet revealed. Lands as yet unknown. I know in my very bones and synapses that you lie, essentially, when you say, 'beginning of the end'.

Now I will hear none of this 'end of the beginning then sir'! You keep that disrespectful tone out of that mouth of yours or I will show you why they call them varicose, and why it sounds so similar to the ancient veritas.

Good. The War of 784. The War of the Occurians. Yes, you would be well versed in this war from your elementary studies at Baxter would you not have? They were built on one of the ancient sites that was a battlefield. Sheer guts and glory for those who fought hard enough I would suppose.

As we discussed last time, and now that I have my pipe and can relax, war sparked in 784 when King Dio began to use the remnants of the Bahumut, in 783, and construct it into a stable ground fortress to protect Rabanastre. The timing was perfect, more or less. His vaults were empty now, and only the slow trickle of taxes was refilling them.

The timing could also said to be perfect due to the Rozzarian Empire. The Margrace Royal Council was disbanded by the citizenry of Rozares and thus was forced to abdicate in Yorn. Feeling that the citizenry had chosen the Gnomes to win this epic internal strife, His Lord 1st Majesty Gnome with a troupe of nearly 200 mummers to celebrate his crowning headed straight towards the gates of Rozares.

He was shot dead. The tragedy was the loss of 197 mummers, damn good actors if you ask me.

With the 1st Majesty Gnome out of the picture, both the Gnomes and the now disunited cities of Rozares and Yorn fell into a total free-fall of war. The Gnomes, once united under the aging visage of the 1st Majesty Gnome, were now bickering amongst themselves and the rural countryside plains of the Rozzarian Empire broke up into no less than eight different factions.

To say the least, this having occurred in late 783, the Rozzarian Empire was out of the picture, quite possibly for good.

Thus when Archadia and Dorstonis launched their massive airship invasion, they did so without calling on the aid of the Rozzarians to launch a two-sided war which would stretch the Dalmascans too far.

However many of the citizens of Dalmasca, as King Dio cried out to his collected citizens of Rabanastre, were once of these same states which now attacked them. He called on every able body to defend their homeland, crying out that a homeland was where you wanted to be, not where your ancestry said you ought to be.

Of the 320,000 citizens of Dalmasca, 80,000 enlisted. Demographically, that was 25 percent of the population. Many of them had to be signed on as free-lance volunteers rather than official soldiers.

These first two days of war were quiet with the advancing, and amassed, armada under Prince Halim the I of Dorstonis and Emperor Halim the II of Archadia, and the prepping of the Nebra, Nalbina, and Rabanastre for siege. Yazul and Hungares were called upon to keep a vigilant eye over the warring factions to the East and prevent them from collecting at any means necessary.

This was interpreted at first that forged documents should be placed to invoke suspicion within each faction, as well as mount up a firm border to keep any traveling brigands away from Dalmasca.

The two Eastern factions, which were the largest rurally, were called Toton and Myancizar. Both were named after the largest rural fort towns within their territory. Toton was on the Northern half, while Myancizar was on the Southern half, being roughly equal in size.

The first agenda item for the Dorstonians was the subjugation of the small island, Gippal, which had been in dispute since the war of 706. Meanwhile, the first agenda item for the Archadians was the siege of Nalbina.

Gippal would prove easy for the Dorstonians to settle on, from where they began to construct a temporary air pad for docking incoming recruits for what they rightfully felt would be a long and tireless war. They did not yet know why.

Nalbina on the other hand, or any city in the East, would prove terribly difficult to conquer. Within the first ten minutes of battle a bright light filled the southern sky and tore itself through the flagship Ramzes. With the remnants of the Ramzes on the ground and word from Emperor Halim the II to press the attack from within the burning hull, morale took a dive as they were unable to rescue their emperor before he was badly burned by the fire.

The walls of Nalbina proved more difficult to take than before, in 704, due to the turrets mounted on the wall which shot fighter and cruiser alike down into the burning rubble mounting up outside the walls.

The Imperial Army with massive pieces of their armada raining down ceased their advance and used the hull frames to fire upon the fortress walls.

This would prove to be an advantage for them because the Dalmascan Army had yet to arrive in full force at Nalbina, yet they were traveling very quickly within the Barheim Passageway to make it.

Instead, after a couple of hours, the Imperial Army successfully rescued their liege and escaped into the Tree Villages of Salikawood.

The first major battle of the war had been a crushing defeat for the Archadians whilst the Dorstonians had yet to suffer a blow. This would prove to be otherwise when a bright light filled to the sky from the west and blew a hole, just in the middle of the next time, through a light cruiser which had been docking.

The Dalmascans suffered light casualties, having not let the enemy break their defenses.

After a fortnight had passed, a collected unit of 20 cruisers from both Archadians and Dorstonians made their way up the Nebra to assault Nebra by the riverside. This naval expedition proved risky from the start due to starved beasts of the area being pushed into the riverside area from the palings underground, and in Nebra as well as Nalbina.

20 cruisers went in and 20 cruisers came out without a single Dalmascan Hume ever lifting a finger. Only 16 of the cruisers were fully manned however, no survivors on the other four.

You might imagine how despairing this image was. Gippal might have been taken, but it was the Dalmascans who were winning by a landslide at the moment.

King Dio offered terms and was firmly rejected by both states. King Dio is reported to have scoffed, and welcomed them to try Rabanastre next.

Surprisingly, they took him up on that offer. Halim the II strode to the gates of Rabanastre as if to offer terms of his own. The plan was to divert attention. The Dalmascans would have none of it. Halim the II, Emperor of Archadia, did not leave the walls of Rabanastre until well after the war had settled down. By then his decaying flesh was already looking white from the bone beneath.

When Emperor Halim the II and his entourage were forcefully pulled inside the city, the hidden attackers pulled up from Giza Plains and assaulted Rabanastre and Bahumut alike. The sky filled with a bright color and the main cannon of Bahumut tore through a heavy cruiser, the Laxly.

Bahumut was built with the express design to extend it's influence to all of Eastern Dalmasca, making it the focal point for any invading army.

When Prince Halim the I ordered the retreat, his Archadian contingent declared him a traitor to the cause and stormed the bridge of his flagship, killing him on the spot.

Both Dorstonis and Archadia were now left without leadership. They offered hasty surrender terms and the response was pleasant enough. I have it here somewhere, the original no less.

**Official Surrender Terms of Dorstonis and Archadians**

**The Principality of Dorstonis, left without leadership, agrees to the terms below as dictated by his Lord Majesty, King Dio of Dalmasca.**

**The Empire of Archadia, left without leadership, agrees to the terms below as dictated by his Lord Majesty, King Dio of Dalmasca.**

**Dorstonian High General: Justin Harv of Bhujerba**

**Archadian Judge Magistrate: Kinsman of Landis**

**The terms thereof, in violation of the Treaty of 706, shall be the cessation of taken territories in addition to compensation for their loss. Shall be the cessation of additional territory or equal item(s) in value. Shall be tariffed no less than fifteen percent on all new exports, of which the sum is to be paid to Dalmascan royal vaults. Shall be the decision making of regent until the election or crowning of next monarch in both surrendering states.**

**Dalmascan Monarch: King Dio**

Many of the terms were easy to comply with. Gippal was abandoned by Dorstonis. The Salikawood was abandoned by Archadia. Dorstonis, however was forced to pay an additional sum of 30,000 tons of high value magacite with the lack of any additional territory to forfeit.

Archadia was appointed a Nabradian by birth as regent, a competent noble who halted the mechanisms for House Solidor to advance the crowning of the heir long enough to appoint himself Emperor of Archadia. Emperor Redmis of Nabudis. House Solidor became high nobility, but ultimately lost the throne.

Dorstonis was appointed a Rozzarian by birth as regent, who pressed the Ondore family into the background whilst a search was made for a suitable Prince. The elected was Hugh of Yen, another city on Dorstonis like Bhujerba.

The oddest event was that by the next year had come around, the Nebra split from itself where a crash had loosened the soil. The subsequent event flooded the south-eastern part of the kingdom until the water settled to extend the river all the way into a further southern part of the Naldoan Sea.

This at first was seen as a travesty. It's effect however opened up a whole new section of the kingdom to irrigate and farm. This would have many consequences later on, but enough of that for now.

I want you to sleep. This is only the first half anyway. The war is not over. It has only changed sides and tactics. Now man faces his greatest enemy while he is disturbingly weak. Occuria and Giruvegan.

**(Story)**

**AN: May 21st, 2012: Hey guys! So I accidentally deleted the new chapter 10...again, but I promise I'm not going to stop working on it till I've published at least three new chapters for this story. You guys have been waiting a very long time and so I figured I would at least try and serve up some of the backstock I owe to you, my few faithful readers. I will be updating the timelines at the end of the chapters so that it will kind of help stick through with you who is who and where they're from as I'm sure Halim the II and Halim the I was kind of confusing for you guys, though perhaps not as confusing as King James the VI of Scotland and the I of England has been to historians.  
**

**I've also taken the time to completely solidify the naming terms for the two co-terminal Halims. Emperor Halim the II was the son of Emperor Larsa the V. Prince Halim the I is not so named the V because the Dorstonian Principality is a new entity even if it is the same royal family. I've gone back and edited this in previous chapters as well.  
**

**As always, please review. Let me know what you think. I don't delete flames, but I will give you tit for tat.  
**

**Dalmascan Kingdom  
**

**653 O.V.-704 O.V.: King Raminas B'Nargin Dalmasca the III: Lived 637 to 704.**

**704 O.V.-706 O.V.: Consul Marxus of Archadia for the Dalmascan Protectorate of the Archadian Empire. Lived 683 to 706.  
**

**706 O.V.-706 O.V.: Consul Vayne Solidor of Archadia for the Dalmascan Protectorate of the Archadian Empire. Lived 684 to 706.  
**

**706 O.V.-754 O.V.: Queen Ashelia B'Nargin Dalmasca the I: Lived 688 to 754.**

**754 O.V.-Present : King Dio Dalmasca of Yensa the I: Lived 737 to Present.  
**

**Archadian Empire  
**

**671 O.V.-706 O.V.: Emperor Gramis Gana Solidor the II: Lived 610 to 706.**

**706 O.V.: Emperor Vayne Carudas Solidor the I: Lived 684 to 706.**

**706 O.V.-771 O.V.: Emperor Larsa Ferrinas Solidor the V: Lived 694 to 771.  
**

**771 O.V.-784 O.V.: Emperor Halim Ronsenburg Solidor the II: Lived 728 to 784.  
**

**Rozzarian Empire  
**

**692 O.V.-715 O.V.: Emperor Alehandro Margrace the III: Lived 665 to 715.**

**715 O.V.-731 O.V.: Emperor Al-Cid de Margrace the X: Lived 690 to 731.**

**731 O.V.-771 O.V.: 'Dual Uncentralized Authority': the maintenance of the 'Rozzarian' Empire whilst the urban and rural powers are non-cooperative.  
**

**771 O.V.-Present: Rozzarian Civil War**

**Bhujerba Marche  
**

**669 O.V.-714 O.V.: Marquis Halim Ondore the IV: Lived 643 to 716.**

**714 O.V.-716 O.V.: The Regency for the advanced and senile Mqs. Halim Ondore the IV as observed by his heir-apparent, the Count Shemling Ondore.  
**

**716 O.V.-745 O.V.: Marquis Shemling Ondore the I: Lived 700 to 771.**

**In 745, the sky cities of Bhujerba, Yen, Terra, and Myelo (Mijelo) come together in the Dorstonian Union of city-states ruled over by the principal city.  
**

**Dorstonis Principality  
**

**745 O.V.-771 O.V.: Prince Shemling Ondore the I: Lived 700 to 771.  
**

**771 O.V.-784 O.V.: Prince Halim Ondore the I: Lived 749 to 784.**


	8. Timeline

**AN: I do not own any part of the Final Fantasy XII universe except the crazy ideas I may write about for your viewing pleasure.**

**(Story)**

Now, child I see that what I have said has confused you much. You may take some time to ponder what I have said, and I offer you this personal history long-ago written which contains a chronology which aided me in the times when I had trouble comprehensing the complexities of our world's own past. Go now, neither you nor I have much time to dilly dally. I feel my age creeping through my very hollowed out bones.

Go...and return with more questions, yes?

_**The World of Fa'Diel**_

_**As Written by: Yurok the Wanderer  
**_

_As I am well aware of the deficiencies of trying to convey a complete sense of any extended time period, I have entrusted unto you a chronology of our world as it has been written these many moons. Historical Reality is but an abstract term, and thus tracing back to the 'Real' Past to construct into any narrative (i.e. History) will always be the greatest challenge to any historian. The legendary Maechen is an enigma which cannot be repeated, and living history for 1,000 years is still, in many ways, not the same as understanding history in a reflective manner.  
_

_Some of the names may appear familiar to you because they have remain attached to the living organism we call 'society' these past centuries since they were 'fresh' and 'new'. The Era of the Occurrian Intervention is no different. Some of what will be discussed in the beginning cannot be fully elaborated upon in the pages herein due to the limited value of the word and the space these pages can provide to convey that value. The same can be said of the ending. If I were to include a beginning for the beginning already contained herein, then I would also need a beginning for the new beginning, and a beginning for that beginning as well _ad infinitum. _If the ending seems to abrupt because of the events which we know occur afterwords, then an ending to the ending contained herein would be necessary to fully explain within this narrative, but that ending would require its' own ending and that ending its' own ending until I would be trying to explain the previous seconds from 'just now' as I'm writing this which would be a never-ending process and you would never see the fruits of my labour._

_So without further delay I invite you to peruse at your leisure.  
_

**637 O.V. (Old Valendian): **_The man who would become king of Dalmasca, fourth in line since the fall of direct-descendents of the Dynast King Raithwall had died with no male heirs, was born in mediocre times.  
_

**639 O.V.: **_The old wars which ravaged between the Rozzarian and Archadian Empires were still a hotbed of burning coals, fueling the tortuous lifespans of the people of the time. This war, or rather series of wars, was raged between the islands of the Flipo Sea, the continental depths of Kerwon, and most importantly the land-bridge between Rozzarian Ordalia and Archadian Valendia. It is in 639 O.V. that the elder brothers of Prince Raminas are slain in the Ogir-Yensa Sansea in a skirmish with the Rozzarian forces defending the oil stations there in the disputed territories of the fallen Yensa Marche. This tragedy makes the two year old the heir-apparent to his middle-aged father, the king of Dalmasca at the time, King Terota the III (598 O.V.-653 O.V.).__  
_

**643 O.V.:** _The future Marquis Halim Ondore the IV is born in the Crystal Palace of Bhujerba, hours before the death of his father whereby his mother, the Marquess d'Hiver will act as regent until a 26 year old Count Halim is found competent enough to rule the city-state. This is amongst a growing tension of the place of magacite reserves as the Rozzarian-Archadian wars continue to ravage the land continents._

**644 O.V.:**_ The death of the future Emperor Gramis Gana Solidor the II's father, is marked with the turbulent years within the Archadian Empire which result in the official peace treaty in 650 O.V. after a period of rather lessened fighting. The Kerwon Expeditions, the two imperial attempts to outmanuver the other empire do not grow beyond their borders at this time until they are recalled during the era of Emperor Larsa and Emperor Al-Cid in 729 O.V. The rapid rise of brother after brother to gain the imperial throne and curry Senatorial favor after 644 O.V. will only lead to the rise of the final brother, Emperor Gramis after he slayed his only other brother in the previous year on the battlefield.  
_

**649 O.V.:**_ The Bhujerban city-state corners the Dorstonian market by obtaining hegemonic mining rights on the sky continent, obtaining majority profits from the exports, while reducing the armed forces of the other city-states after a brief three year war. This move by the Marquess d'Hiver precipitates the significance that Bhujerba will play in the following years when the Archadian Empire begins to expand once more into the lands surrounding the Galtean Peninsula under the orders of Emperor Gramis.  
_

**650 O.V.: **_The principal states represented at the peace conference in 650 O.V. are the allied, if mistrustful, states of the Republic of Landis, the Nabradian Kingdom, and the Dalmascan Kingdom; the Rozzarian empire and its' interior protectorate (the County of Trier which lasted only from 614 O.V. to 683 O.V.); the Archadian Empire as represented by the current Emperor, Emperor Marxly Habsburg Solidor the III, the second emperor since the death of his father, and his senatorial council; and the small island of Gippal as represented by Alderman Hoch. The resulting treaty reduced the armed forces of all states, including the burgeoning air fleets (though this article would be ignored by Emperor Gramis under pressure from the Senate), and the new reaffirmation of the public sphere as the number one priority of the state.__  
_

**653 O.V.: **_The ascension of King Raminas B'Nargin Dalmasca the III takes place with the death of his father, King Terota B'Nargin Dalmasca the III. This ascension is marked with great celebrations and a decidedly dark overture of war with the people of Giza plains in the following years._ _Though his reign has often been described as 'peaceful' that is really only in comparison with other "civilized" states. The wars with the Giza Humes, the Ozmone Garifs, and the Golmore Viera throughout the 660's, 670's and 680's would lead to the death of King Raminas' eight sons leaving only the young Princess Ashelia, born in the late 680's as the only heir-apparent to the throne._

**665 O.V.: **_The birth of the future Emperor Alehandro marks very peaceful years in the Rozzarian empire despite continued tensions between the Gnomes and Margrace Imperial family._

**668 O.V.: **_The aging Marquess d'Hiver convinces her son, the Count Halim to retake the examination to see if he is proper for rule, to replace her as she had been the Regent in his stead since the death of her husband, the late Marquis Halim Ondore the III who was not as 'gentle' as his name implied, commonly referred to as the Dark Marquis, though he would not be nearly as reviled as the Marquis Shemling._ _The Count makes a swinging success despite potential mental instabilities which would cause him to age rapidly throughout much of his reign._

**669 O.V.:** _The Count of Bhujerba is officially named the Marquis of Bhujerba, Halim Ondore the IV. Though he is only 26 at the time, his body has aged rapidly as has his mind, being more of that of a man in his 40's in both respects. The rare disease that the mqs. suffered from was then known as _Le Temp Rapide. _Today it is simply known as Advanced Aging which many monarchs seemed to suffer from during this time period, leading some of the 9th century to speculate that it was a venereal disease._

**671 O.V.: **_After many years of fratricide, it is Gramis who becomes the sole living son of his father's sons and takes the mantle of Emperor Gramis Solidor the II. He makes the 11th emperor of Archadia, and the 4th of House Solidor with his elder brothers having been of differing royal houses. Emperor Gramis by this time had two sons and a daughter, who would die in childbirth. These elder sons would continue to vie for their father's and the senate's favour to be chosen as the next emperor until their rivalry would lead to a brief civil war in 694 in which the 10 year old, Vayne Solidor would be issued command at the behest of the Senate to execute both of his elder brothers on the battlefield.  
_

**678 O.V.: **_The first of many rapid wars between King Raminas and the 'uncivilized' tribal peoples to the south of Rabanastre would mark the longest period in Dalmascan history in which the country took part in a war of expansion. It is within this year alone that the initial invasion army, headed by Raminas' elder sons is surprised by the Giza tribes and die horrific deaths during the Dry season._

**684 O.V.:**_ The future emperor Vayne Solidor is born amongst rather peaceful times for the empire despite growing tensions amongst his elder brothers. His reception as the fourth child of Emperor Gramis is less applauded than his elder siblings since his share in the empire would naturally be less than that of his elder brothers. Obviously this did not happen, since Vayne Solidor became emperor for a brief month, and his psyche has been deeply studied since months after his death in the sky fortress _Bahamut.

**688 O.V.: **_The birth of the future Queen Ashelia B'Nargin Dalmasca allays the fears of the kingdom that Raminas would die without an heir after the death of the last of his eight sons the previous year. Her birth also marks the end of the Dalmascan wars with the tribal peoples to the south and a greater cultural dissemination of the Giza tribes in Rabanastre, as well as their incorporation into the kingdom, though the more distant Garif and Viera manage to escape the wars with minimal losses and minimal concessions other than free passage through their lands. The Garif become more accepting of the Dalmascans in the following decades, especially with the visit from the exiled Princess Ashelia, but the Viera of Golmore still find it to be traitorous to leave the Wood in order to live in Dalmasca._

**690 O.V.:**_ The future emperor Al-Cid Margrace is born of the current heir-apparent, the future emperor Alehandro de Margrace. His life would soon be a swarm of politics and "maids".  
_

**692 O.V.:**_ The rise of Alehandro de Margrace to the throne of the Rozzarian empire secures his two year old son, Al-Cid, as next-in-line to the throne despite continued tensions with the Gnomes.  
_

**694 O.V.:** _The future emperor of Archadia, Larsa Ferrinas Solidor is born, the last child of the emperor Gramis the II. Just a month prior to his birth, Larsa's elder brothers go to battle in which the 10 year old Vayne Solidor wins a devastating victory, executing the eldest brothers shortly before the battle calls for a complete withdrawal of the revolting forces._

**698 O.V.****: **_The Republic of Landis is squashed in a vicious war after the republic foolishly cut all connections to its' longtime allies, the Nabradian and Dalmascan Kingdoms. At this point the Rozzarians begin conducting military maneuvers within Nabradia in order to defend themselves from the expanding Archadian empire in spite of the Treaty of 650 O.V. _

**700 O.V.:** _The successor to the Mqs. Halim Ondore the IV is born, the future Marquis Shemling who would be a force within his own time to be reckoned with, though often batted to the side outside of the sky continents._

**703 O.V.: **_The alliance between Nabradia and Dalmasca is sealed, as well as that with Rozzaria. In late 703 O.V._ _the continued maintenance of Rozzarian forces within Nabradia causes emperor Gramis to demand that a removal of these forces be followed through, as well as a few punitive measures. When these are not acceded to, emperor Gramis invades Nabradia, causes the destruction of Nabudis, and by early 704 O.V. has taken the fortress of Nalbina as well killed Prince Rasler as well as King Raminas._

**704 O.V.:**_ The peace Treaty of 704 O.V. allows the Kingdom of Nabradia to be annexed by Archadia, as well as the island of Salzar from the Dalmascan kingdom, while the rest is placed into a defensive puppet-state where a Consul is appointed of the protectorate in the event of another war with Rozzaria. Princess Ashelia goes into hiding, the Marquis Halim the IV begins funding the resistance to Archadian power despite acting as their puppet, and Rozzarian industry is thrust full-force into reshaping into military forces in the face of a coming war with Archadia.  
_

**706 O.V.: **_The first Consul of the Dalmascan Protectorate, consul Marxus, is assassinated and it is the Prince Vayne Solidor who takes his stead. These events precipitate the death of the emperor Gramis, the rise of emperor Vayne who uses the sky fortress Bahamut to try and cow both the Dalmascan resistance and its' Rozzarian supporters into submission, the destruction of the sky fortress Bahamut, the rise of the young emperor Larsa, the rise of Queen Ashelia, and the armed forces of the Rozzarian empire, now without a war to fight, escalating into dangerous territory towards civil war._

**710 O.V.:** _The royal wedding between emperor Larsa and the older, though much lower noble-blooded Penelo, takes place bringing an iconic union to usher in the early stability and peace brough to Archadia by the rule of emperor Larsa._

**714 O.V.:** _The Advanced Aging of the Mqs. Halim Ondore the IV forces the Bhujerban elite families to instate his successor, the Count Shemling (then only 14 years old), to the position of Regent. The new regent's first attempt to give Bhujerba more political leverage using its' magacite reserves causes the Deccan Incident in which the political backlash manipulated by the emperor Larsa places Shemling into his pocket for the remainder of their days._

**715 O.V.: **_The Rozzarian emperor Alehandro de Margrace dies and his son Al-Cid rises to become the new emperor, a very reform-minded emperor who would tragically die in the aftershock of the revelations of 731 O.V.__  
_

**716 O.V.: **_The elderly Mqs. Halim Ondore the IV finally perishes in his sleep. It is a tragedy which is observed more in Dalmasca than it is in Bhujerba where the regent and heir-apparent Shemling is elected the Marquis of Bhujerba.__  
_

**728 O.V.:** _The birth of the sole child of emperor Larsa by the empress-consort the Lady Penelo, the future emperor Halim Ronsenberg Solidor the II, occurs during the Midsummer celebration. It is a great tragedy that birthing complications with manufacted nethicite, used uncommonly to help heal birthing wounds, causes the Lady Penelo to reverse in age by nearly a decade, while continually growing younger and younger until she is essentially too small to live outside the human body anymore and dies a lonely and unacknowledged death (officially registered as dying in 728 O.V.) in 747 O.V._

**725 O.V.:** _The islands of Yeros and Miniap are reclaimed by Queen Ashelia of Dalmasca in order to restore the Dalmascan Kingdom to its' former glory (despite the continued contestation over the island of Salzar)._

**729 O.V.: **_Both the Archadian and Rozzarian expeditions to Kerwon are recalled after nearly a century of heavy losses attempting to tame the wilderness there.__  
_

**731 O.V.:**_ The introduction the mass-produced manufacted nethicite allows for the traveling of Jagd. The revelations that increased relations between the major powers centering around the Galtean Peninsula causes a new distrust of the growing power of the Dalmascan Kingdom. This distrust is so profound in the Rozzarian Empire that the emperor Al-Cid is murdered at the Booth Theatre during an intermission. This assassination leads to varied speculation downplayed by frantic powers unwilling to test the mettle of their neighbors so soon for various reasons (the Archadians and Bhujerbans unwilling to unknowingly foray into unknown territory given the grand overhaul of Dalmascan infrastructure and economy, as well as Dalmascan insecurities at going to war with old-friends).  
_

**737 O.V.: **_The future King Dio of Dalmasca is born to Queen Ashelia. The scandal elucidates the unmarried nature of the widow, though it is suspected that Vaan of Yensa is the father of the new heir-apparent. It is further believed that Prince Dio, despite being a bastard, would be a suitable king if the sky pirate's blood flowed through his veins. The news meets with little speculation outside of Dalmasca.__  
_

**738 O.V.:**_ The continued efforts put forward by Queen Ashelia allows for the final completion to the road systems being developed in and between Dalmasca and the port city of Balfonheim, a connection which springs up several smaller townships along the way.  
_

**745 O.V.:** _The cultural fusion on the sky continent between the different city-states allows for the Marquis Shemling of Bhujerba, the most powerful of these city-states to call for a political union between the city-states directed by a prince monarch, attempting to avoid the corruption associated with kingdoms and empires. This makes the Marquis Shemling Ondore the I of Bhujerba the Prince Shemling Ondore the I of Dorstonis and all Dorstonians._

**749 O.V: **_The future Prince Halim Ondore the I of Dorstonis, so named in his epithet due to the change in political entities, is born. This is also a year of renewed aggression between the flailing Rozzarian forces in contest with one another.__  
_

**754 O.V.:**_ The death of Queen Ashelia marks the rise of the 17 year old Prince Dio, a very handsome prince who would come to lead his people in the war which had been expected since 731 O.V.  
_

**756 O.V.: **_The city of Dadu on the River Tykes, downriver from the imperial city of Archades, becomes overpopulated enough to cause an exodus in 756 O.V. to begin the formation of another new city, the city of Peking.__  
_

**757 O.V.: **_The famed sky pirate Vaan of Yensa dies tragically while battling the beasts within the Nechrol of Nabudis, particularly attempting to kill the Hell Wyrm by himself. The two died at the same time, as reported by his chronologer, the Viera who simply goes by the name of Fran.__  
_

**758 O.V.:** _King Dio secures the cooperation of emperor Larsa in reconstructing the distraught roads between Rabanastre and Balfonheim within Archadian territory. The construction rights for this cooperative effort fills Dalmascan coffers with Archadian gold. Though the operation is not complete till around 764 O.V._

**769 O.V.:** _The road from Rabanastre to Rozzarian MaudDep, just across the Rozzarian/Dalmascan border, allows greater connection via land between the eastern portions of the Rozzarian empire and the Dalmascan Kingdom._

**771 O.V.:** _The aged emperor Larsa of Archadia and the Prince Shemling both die in this year marking new leadership against the longer-ruling King Dio of Dalmasca. This new leadership, interestingly named Halim Solidor the II of Archadia and Halim Ondore the I of Dorstonis marks a more cooperative partnership between their two states after the forced compliance between Larsa's Archadia and Shemling's Bhujerba/Dorstonis. It is of interest to know that while virtually everyone in Dorstonis knew that the aged prince had been killed by his heir-apparent, that it was also virtually unknown outside of Dorstonis. Months after their deaths, the first hostilities of the official Rozzarian Civil War break out in MaudDep where a coalition of Dalmascan, Archadian, and Dorstonian troops puts down the fighting and effectively claimed by King Dio. Unable to stop the man from doing so, the city is renamed Hungares with 'official' sanction by the Margrace Family.  
_

**773 O.V.: **_King Dio begins refurbishing the_ _remains of th__e fallen sky fortress Bahamut into a towering center of destruction to defend the entire hinterlands of the Dalmascan Kingdom._

**783 O.V.:**_ The reconstruction of the Bahamut fortress is complete, solidifying Dalmascan military power in the Galtean Peninsula. News of its' completion brings on new waves of distrust towards the Dalmascan Kingdom, in similarity since the 731 O.V. incident. This sparks a new level of cooperation between the Archadian Empire and the Dorstonian Principality which ultimately lead up to the brief, but disastrous, and with long-term consequences in following conflicts: the War of 784, the Prelude to the Occuria.  
_

**(Story)**

**AN: May 22nd, 2012: I do not want to talk about how long it took to format this chapter. For some reason, the bloody Open Office had trouble understanding the difference between bold and italics. Here! Enjoy the fruits of my labour! I hope the previous chapters make more sense to you now.  
**


	9. Dalmasca Under Johnst

**AN: I do not own any part of the Final Fantasy XII universe except the crazy ideas I may write about for your viewing pleasure.**

**(Story)**

Now my child, the time period to follow was a time of man rising from the ashes.

In Dalmasca, the subsequent prosperity brought on from the tariffs on both Archadian and Dorstonian trade, in addition to the new fertile area of the kingdom, brought an overwhelming surge to the population and wealth not seen in Galtea since the Dynast King's reign.

Though Archadia and Dorstonis did try to rely on only one another to avoid the tariffs, the industrial power of the Dalmascan Kingdom, as well as its' new-founded agricultural surplus, made these policies ill-favored amongst the poor in both lands.

King Dio, in his dying days of 795, noticed this trend and called upon the able bodied men to carry forth and build themselves new homes in the newly habitable lands. This mass exodus freed up the overcrowding of the few cities in Dalmasca up to this point...where is it...oh, here.

The census of 791 O.V. in Dalmasca shows the demographics of that time, whereas the 701 O.V. census was markedly different.

_**701 Census of Dalmasca**_

**Rabanastre- 39,000  
**

**Nalbina- 17,000  
**

**Western Provinces- 10,000  
**

**Northern Islands- 45,000  
**

**Southeastern Province- 109,000  
**

**Total Population: 220,000  
**

* * *

******_781 Census of Dalmasca_**

**Rabanastre- 85,000  
**

**Nalbina- 38,000  
**

**Nebra- 15,000  
**

**Yazul- 14,000  
**

**Hungares- 68,000  
**

**Yensan Province- 30,000  
**

**Northern Islands- 23,000  
**

**Southeastern Province- 47,000  
**

**Total Population: 320,000  
**

To understand, the demographics must be understood. In 783, Dalmasca had but 320,000 citizens. By 795, that number had nearly tripled to 830,000 men, women, and children. Thus the new fertile land had to be, in a sense, resettled.

King Dio was able to see the construction of both Naldoa and Giza along the banks of the new part of the Nebra. His death in 796 did not allow him to see their full glory however. His son, King Johnst the II, continued with his father's policy as an expansionist.

King Johnst ordered that since the Archadians were deepening their hold on the Naldoan Sea, and Nalbina, Giza, Naldoa, and Nebra could only adequately provide for a marine time enterprise for Dalmascans, Gippal would have to be settled.

The island was not settled to earn itself a major city or fortress yet, but that would come in time. The additional major city was instead, Yondar, actually built along the coast, away from the Nebra, so as to provide a new marine base for the trickling inflow of merchants.

The flowing years were good to this kingdom rising from the loose chains that had been attempted to shackle them down. Instead, by 803, the kingdom's roads were in such disrepair that they were completely redone to not move with the land, but through the land. Naturalists could argue that it ruined some of the tone of the landscape, but the quick responses of the kingdom had to be obtained to be as efficient as possible.

By 804, Giza and Naldoa had reached a healthy stage that construction became minimal and the full effort was placed onto Yondar.

However, the end of the Rozzarian civil war brought about a new wave of refugees who heard that Dalmasca was a growing land of opportunity. How lucky they were that King Johnst could afford their arrival!

Instead of sending them to older cities, the expansionist saw his way to settle new land. He, along with 20,000 soldiers rode to the Garif of the Ozmone Plains and purchased the northern lands, giving Dalmasca a new flat area to claim as home.

Then, King Johnst order the construction of a road to the border which at the end would be built up into a new city, Alziar. Alziar had been the name of the last king to hold the Galtean Alliance together, the last direct descendant of the Dynast King.

Alziar, in the Ozmone Plains would bring in new trade opportunities that had yet to be explored properly. The following integration of Garif society into Hume society was one of the more prominent negative aspects. Garif no longer have the same quality as they once did. Viera do not suffer the same extent of such a loss of culture. The reasons for which have been explored by historians, but no concise answer has yet been reached.

Alziar, as a new home for Dalmascans prompted new citizens to flood in from the ravages of the new Myancizar Empire. Though the Myancizar were much more stable than the Rozzarians had been, they still lacked an established state like the Dalmascans.

Now believe it or not, this was but the beginning for King Johnst.

The tree villages his father had set up in the Salikawood were centralized into a wooded city, Zanzin. Zanzin would serve, as King Johnst saw fit, as a buffer city for new invaders to deal with before arriving into the heartland of the kingdom much as the wooded villages of before, only much more centralized than the easily overran wooded villages which gave benefit to the much larger Archadian Empire.

In 825, the world had calmed down considerably since the war of 784.

In an effort to calm the stirring suspicions about Dalmascan adaptations, King Johnst offered the Myancizar an offer of marriage. There were multiple reasons for doing this. The first of which was that Myancizar had been the faction that King Dio had secretly funded to win the civil war while also publicly keeping neutrality he would often remark how their near neighbors were more peaceful and quaint when in Hungares than any of the other factions.

The first Myancizarian emperor, Wetherby the I, offered his 22 year old daughter to the older King Johnst. The two would wed and bring a happy alliance between the two factions.

The second reason for doing this was that it applied a stable background to the image of a king building up his kingdom, and expanding his borders a little.

The third and final important reason was that it would tie in the entire Myancizarian empire into the Dalmascan Kingdom should Wetherby the I die with no male heirs. This reason was an understanding between the two royal figures however, expansion was a key to the growth of Archadia and Rozzaria alike.

With the Myancizar capital being built up around the original capital, rather than moving it to Rozares, the central administration between the two allies was much closer now. Of the first shared gifts between the two, King Johnst sent a team of architects to guide the architects in Myancizar in how to build layers of a city, both above and below.

In 830...you had better not be falling asleep ... ...Good.

In 830 with all the expansion the growing kingdom could handle and remain centralized, a stark contrast had been made. Six cities made up the Dalmascan heartland. Rabanastre, Nebra, Giza, Nalbina, Yondar, and Naldoa. Yazul and Hungares made up the very large western portion of the kingdom. Zanzin made up a much smaller northern portion. While Alziar made up, the smallest of them all, southern portion. Should these fringes be sacked, the heartland could do less about it than the reverse. Therefore something was made to be done. The small islands surrounding the kingdom were still, excepting Gippal, of little consequence.

In 830, King Johnst began a project that was so daring in it's expedition that it would take the rest of his reign in order to complete.

He would extend the Barheim Passageway, only with a couple of changes.

In moving from Rabanastre, the new tunnels would be widened enough so that an enhanced mining cart or eventually something larger, could carry a person the distance by using a series of pulleys. The pulleys were eventually rejected for being too complicated.

In their stead, an airship engine would be used to advance the airship cab which was being used. This presented the problem of stopping, which was solved by placing an airship engine on the front side of the cab to turn on as the back side engine turned off. The two would then do a series of on/offs that would enable the cab to come to a stop.

The plan was genius. To ensure it's survival, King Johnst laid down 30,000,000 gil to be paid to his architects when they finished.

The first part of the plan was thus excavating the tunnels. Tunnels to Alziar were the easiest to complete, though surprisingly the engineers when it took them five years to do so. With this experience they tackled the harder problem of excavating from Rabanastre to Zanzin when a tunnel already existed through Nebra to Nalbina.

In the end they decided that the current tunnels of the Barheim Passageway would be expanded to be included in this as well, making it a whole new way of transport in between the inner cities of the kingdom. This would prove to enhance the project to a much greater degree than expected. Now even the public could easily transit between cities, or at least they would have been able to when the project finished.

As a special installment, at the request of the king, the two parts of the tunnel that crossed the Nebra must have thick walls of glass. The reason why became evident when they hit the Nebra and several men drowned to death.

With these installments in place, the architects and engineers moved on, connecting the major cities in the heartland by open tunnel.

For eight years this continued until the heartland and Zanzin had been connected as well.

Now it was 843. King Johnst had been reigning for a number of years but he was still a very living man. So he ordered that while one half of his engineers was building the tunnel to extend to Yazul and Hungares, the other half would be shaping the tunnels to not cave in by fashioning stone tubes with support beams on the outside of the area where the cab would run. On the very sides of the stone tunnels, a raised ledge would serve as a walkway for the army and repair workers.

This was the state of the kingdom for fourteen years, even as the surrounding world made it's own advancements, this project would connect the Dalmascans in a way only the Dorstonians had had in usage.

857 rolls by and the stone tunnels are complete, the eastern half of the kingdom is enjoying it's new mode of transportation. It in fact bypasses a need for a road system which is protected by miniature palings. These havens are reconstructed and made for further usage in the western half of the kingdom where they would be more needed.

Finally it was in 864 in which the entire system was complete and the thirty million gil was rewarded to the 50,000 survivors of the project. This made some very rich men who invested it, of course, in Dalmasca, which could then be taxed.

These 50,000 actually did serve a purpose with their new funds. They built entire estates around the purchasing and maintaining of enterprises which would enhance the Dalmascan economy by a numerous fold. This became, in effect, a move to disperse the wealth that had been collected under the royal title into new heads which would help maintain a prosperous state.

Regrettably, in 883, the very old king died of age. His last words however were royal edict. He called on his people to eradicate the Occuria for their treachery.

Go on, sleep for a while. I see you are yet still very tired. We will continue in a fortnight.

**(Story)**

**AN: May 21st, 2012: As you guys may have noticed, I've added in a timeline chapter where this chapter used to be. It's just there in case the story was getting confusing to anyone who needed a bit of a consolidated format. I did receive a remark some time ago that my storytelling style is confusing to some of you, so I figured I'd try and knock that out of the way with this timeline. Read the story, then read the timeline. If anything seems out of place, let me know and I'll fix it for some solidarity.**

**Also, the royal trees are going to be shortened to just the territory in question so that I'm not just mindlessly adding to the wordcount (no matter how appealling that sounds sometimes).**

**Dalmascan Kingdom  
**

**653 O.V.-704 O.V.: King Raminas B'Nargin Dalmasca the III: Lived 637 O.V.-704 O.V.: 67 Years Old. Reigned for 51 years.  
**

**704 O.V.-706 O.V.: Consul Marxus of Archadia for the Dalmascan Protectorate of the Archadian Empire. Lived 683 O.V.-706 O.V.: 23 Years Old. Reigned for 2 years.  
**

**706 O.V.-706 O.V.: Consul Vayne Solidor of Archadia for the Dalmascan Protectorate of the Archadian Empire. Lived 684 O.V.-706 O.V.: 22 Years Old. Reigned for 1 year.  
**

**706 O.V.-754 O.V.: Queen Ashelia B'Nargin Dalmasca the I: Lived 688 O.V.-754 O.V.: 66 Years Old. Reigned for 48 years.  
**

******754 O.V.-796 O.V.: King Dio Dalmasca of Yensa the I: Lived 737 O.V.-796 O.V.: 59 Years Old. Reigned for 42 years.**  


******796 O.V.-883 O.V.: King Johnst Dalmasca of Yensa the II: Lived 782 to 883.: 101 Years Old. Reigned for 87 years.  
**


	10. Archadia Divided

**AN: I do not own any part of the Final Fantasy XII universe except the crazy ideas I may write about for your viewing pleasure.**

**AN2: I realize I'm later than I expected to be in publishing this chapter. I'm a little low on the patience to type my ideas out. (Translate as bored as hell but too lazy to do anything.)~The Original AN.  
**

**(Story)**

Now my child, you have come to me for two moons already and we have barely covered two centuries of time. I see a need for continuing our lessons with much vigor, so I would have you arrive promptly at earlier times rather than dallying about with Maisry of all people. Oh ho, struck a nerve? Do not presume that your life is your own when you are alone. The community serves the community, do not forget your edicts!

Now that there is some silence for good hearing, come towards the fire, this shall be a long and complicated chapter to our story.

When King Dio won the War of 784, he utterly wrecked Dorstonian and Archadian stability. Where before the assurance of superiority kept them aloft, in the Dorstonian case quite figuratively, they now found themselves being outshone by the little Dalmasca of before.

With the end of the war and the appointment of Earl Redmis of Nabradia as regent, a celebration was held down the river Tykes for his coronation as the regent. One of the first stops saw an assassination attempt which nearly took the Earl's life. When questioned on it, the would-be killer identified that the Duke of Balfonheim, the rightful heir to the throne, would see him dead so as to keep his position.

Make note that it is for this very reason that Earl Redmis later attributes his seeking of the throne.

As the celebration continued down the river, a stop just outside of Dadu held two airships awaiting them, where they were to be taken in for questioning. The escorts held off the airships while Redmis made his way by foot North into the wilderness of Archadia. For three days he moved freely through the wilds of Yumnar Forest until he reached an Archadian peasant who took him to the western gate of Archades. There he made his way into the Imperial city and was crowned regent and, shortly thereafter, emperor of Archadia.

The purist faction, centered in Balfonheim where the Duke held his authority, threatened with civil war should the Duke not be able to take his rightful place on the throne as mandated by the treaty of 784.

The central faction, centered in Archades where the newly crowned Emperor sat, in return pointed to the expanding and militarizing Dalmascan Kingdom. Emperor Redmis went to the Phon Coast and invited the Duke of Balfonheim, whose name...I've...shit I've forgotten his name. Duke Bardly! That was it. Don't laugh at me child, I'll toss you in that fire.

Emperor Redmis went to the Phon Coast and invited Duke Bardly to meet with him there in how best to deal with Dalmasca's continuing rise in power. When the two dared to sit down amongst each other without the public watching, they agreed that their squabble over the throne would jeopardize Archadia's bid to remain united in the face of a Dalmascan revenge war. The thought was, at the time, that the Dalmascans had moved into the Salikawood region in order to dash into the western Archadian lands which had no real major city system to defend it.

Thus a conspiracy was born.

When they returned to their centers of influence, they played the dramatic weeks of two bitter sides nearly on the verge of civil war in the aftermath of the war of 784. However, the two grudgingly offer terms in the eye of the public in order to curb Dalmascan growth. With this as official policy, it did not take long for King Johnst to seek an alliance with the Myancizarian Empire.

However this also had the unfortunate side affect of raising Archadian suspicions of Dalmascan plots to cut Archadia up for itself. This widespread feeling allowed several acts of legislation to be passed with little public outcry.

First off, the lands surrounding Balfonheim, including the Cerobi Steppe, all the way up the Cerobi River, and the Ciizano Island, would be placed under the rule of the Duke of Balfonheim. This previously established Duchy would become semi-independent from the Emperor's Archadia, however the two would need to work closely to achieve anything.

In the second place, Emperor Redmis would be granted official pardon for his next act.

That act, which took place in 826, was the official pardon of Nabudis of its' war crimes which deemed it uninhabitable land. This pardon allowed reconstruction teams to erect palings, drive the local flora and fauna which had become overgrown into a more manageable state, and begin building it into something of the city it once was. The work on Nabudis took roughly 37 years, well after Duke Bardly or Emperor Redmis had died.

Before that time, Emperor Redmis in the Archadian Empire, or as it was better becoming known, the Western Archadian Empire, drove for a solid network of airship relay city fortresses. Nabudis was fashioned in the manner in which it had been before it's ruination by Judge Zecht. This put it into a state in which it could very easily defend itself from anything other than a nethicite implosion, which no state at the time had devised a way of doing just yet.

However the Western Archadian Empire also needed a means to access the Naldoan Sea without having to rely solely upon the Duchy of Balfonheim. To make up for this, Delvion was built first as a marine port. Later it adopted an official town which boomed under Dorstonian refugees. All port cities of the Naldoan would enjoy a healthy boost of population thanks to the regime in Dorstonia at the time.

A little story behind Delvion, is that it was named after the ancient god of prosperity, much like Miriam was once the ancient god of swords. This prosperity would flourish very brightly when beneath Delvion, a marine cave was found to hold deep riches of magacite. The first ever underwater mining cave was built in Delvion, 831. This system more or less continued for a peaceful building era until Emperor Redmis died in 859 of old age. He left his son, Redmis the II, to take his place as Emperor in a completely different system that what his father had known as a boy.

On the other hand, the Duchy of Balfonheim realized its' greatest strength was the Naldoan Sea. Therefore two cities were planned with great efficiency along the coast, aided of course by the refugees of Dorstonia.

Just east of Phon Coast on a small island, Ukbar Island, the port city of Toton was raised. Likewise, on the western coast of Ciizano Island, the city of Akbar, named after the brother of Ukbar the demi-goddess of the tide. Akbar, Toton, and Balfonheim together supported a wide array of purists, surprisingly with a majority of the population being only 1st or 2nd generation Archadians. However they also supported a wide network of naval ships, which placed a check onto the growing might of Gippal island, which threatened by its' mere presence to close Delvion off from access to any from the Naldoan Sea should war come.

Duke Bardly had a long affair with the countess of Sochen, the ruined city of a distant past. She bore him three sons. The youngest two were named Count and placed as governor of two outlying cities of the Duchy. The eldest, the rightful heir to the Archadian Empire, would take his father's place as the Duke.

This quiet family life did not befit the ravages of poverty that the Duchy fell upon in the times after being cut off from most of the trade that the Western Archadian Empire attracted to itself with its' various projects. This had the rather unfortunate side effect of continuing some of the animosity shared between the purist's and the centralist's.

Before his untimely demise due to food poisoning, Duke Bardly had declared that the Dalmascans were far too overzealous to be able to win this war of infrastructure. He said this in the knowledge that within six months of his death, the Duchy of Balfonheim rose in prominence with the fall of Dorstonian order. This was in 860, not but a couple of weeks after Emperor Redmis had passed on.

**(Story)**

**AN: May 21st, 2012: You may notice a couple of discrepancies with the story for a couple of days while I complete the timeline I mentioned in the previous chapter. Inserting a chapter into the middle of the story has thrown my usual rhythm off, but I've finished up to 706 in the timeline. All I need to do is go a further 78 years and it'll be complete.  
**

**As always, I prefer it when you review. It puts a smile on my face.  
**

**Archadian Empire  
**

**671 O.V.-706 O.V.: Emperor Gramis Gana Solidor the II: Lived 610 O.V.-706 O.V.: 96 Years Old. Reigned for 35 years.  
**

** 706 O.V.: Emperor Vayne Carudas Solidor the I: Lived 684 O.V.-706 O.V.: 22 Years Old. Reigned for 1 year.  
**

**706 O.V.-771 O.V.: Emperor Larsa Ferrinas Solidor the V: Lived 694 O.V.-771 O.V.: 77 Years Old. Reigned for 65 years.  
**

******771 O.V.-784 O.V.: Emperor Halim Ronsenburg Solidor the II: Lived 728 O.V.-784 O.V.: 56 Years Old. Reigned for 13 years.**  


******784 O.V.: The Treaty of 784 names Earl Redmis as the regent of the empire till the people of Archadia can decide what form of government they want.  
**

******Western Archadian Empire (the Usurpers)  
**

******784 O.V.-859 O.V.: Emperor Redmis of Nabradia the I: Lived 769 O.V.-859 O.V.: 90 Years Old. Reigned for 75 years.  
**

******Eastern Archadian Empire (the Duchy of Balfonheim, the True Archadian Empire)  
**

******784 O.V.-860 O.V.: Duke Bardly Ronsenburg Solidor the I: Lived 772 O.V.-860 O.V.: 88 Years Old. Reigned for 76 years.  
**


	11. Myancizar Under Wetherby

**AN: I do not own any part of the Final Fantasy XII universe except the crazy ideas I may write about for your viewing pleasure.**

**(Story)**

Oh, it is you. It has been a markedly long time since I saw you loom over my hearth, absorbing its' heat and leaving me to die.

Did you know that a remarkable woman once said, "There is only one thing that the Old have ever done for the good of humanity, and that is die. Without the death of the Old there can never be any innovation." You, however, would leave me to rot in this chair while you frolick with the young Maisry. Disgusting...

...

I suppose if you are here now then there is no use in berating you over your stupidity; you have recognized it and we may continue before I die yet.

Where last were we?

Hmmmm...Yes...

The War of 784 marked an ascension of power in Ordalia not seen since the 6th century as Rozzaria spread across the plains of the continent in rivalry of the growing Archadian power up north. The Rozzarian Civil War came to an official end in 789 O.V. with the preeminence of the Myancizar state, a former Gnomic power which had strayed from other Gnome fundamentalism.

The ancient Wetherby of Myancizar was now crowned emperor of the Myancizar Empire, and the vigorous policies pursued by Wetherby marked such a contrast between his reign and former Rozzarian policies that historians have continued to call his empire the Myancizar Empire despite Wetherby officially naming it the Restored Rozzarian Noble Republic (R.R.N.R.).

In 792 O.V., it seems that the emperor will remain unable to sire a son that will live beyond the age of 1, as another one of his sons dies young. Despite these family troubles, Wetherby would push the Dual Armies Act, also known as the Garrison Armies Act, in 795. This act placed more power into imperial hands than had been experienced in Rozzaria since its' foundation in 392 O.V.

One of the oddities of this more centralized power was that it was not entirely in the hands of the emperor. The high office of the Royal Exchequer was created as a necessity for allowing Wetherby the I to be crowned emperor for the R.R.N.R., and that was despite his heavily new influential position the money would remain in the hands of elected officials from amongst the highest nobles to counterbalance the power of the throne. This turn of events would lead all the way up to a parliamentary power in 876 with more voting rights for people of lesser property (though still a long way off from giving the right to vote to those of no property).

The Dual Armies Act clearly defined the provinces of the empire and the districts of those provinces. Provinces were required to maintain a garrison for the provincial capital and strategic points within the province using a defined percentage of district populations in order to do so. However, provincial troops drafted in one district of the province could not deployed in another district, in order to maintain a familial closeness of the empire's men and help restore the empire's population (as well as make provincial armies uncoordinated).

These provincial troops were required to provide their own uniforms, raise provincial levies to maintain their arms, and find their own foodstuffs if the imperial budget did not a lot enough (which it never did) to provincial governments. Further undermining provincial authority was the imposition of the imperial police which swept away with all other forms of police in the empire, being a subset of the imperial army, and thus directly responsible to only the emperor.

Of course, these centralizing efforts mattered less to Wetherby than the birth of his daughter in 803 O.V. who would by 825 be engaged and then married to King Johnst the II of Dalmasca despite the enormous financial difficulties incurred to raise the necessary funds for the dowry.

Sadly, it would only be a year later that the birth of a son and an heir-apparent to the throne would also mark the death of the 128 year old emperor who had served the empire through much of the reign of emperor Alehandro de Margrace and Al-Cid Margrace, eventually to become emperor himself one day. His memoirs were rewritten into a 27-volume series with as many as four books for a single decade in chronological order.

Wetherby the I's death meant that a regency would have to be found for the young heir, and the Imperial Council surprisingly chose the Queen of Dalmasca, former princess of Myancizar and her consort the King of Dalmasca to serve as regents from 826 to 844. Only then would there be a rise of Emperor Wykanok the I.

**(Story)**

**AN: May 22nd, 2012: Do your eyes deceive you? A real new chapter to this story and not just edits or author's notes? Holy...Shit...**

**If you're returning to this story after a long time I definitely suggest rereading the whole thing. There have been some minor changes and additions made to earlier chapters as I went through the edits. I only plan maybe five chapters left for this story? A Dorstonis chapter, a leveling out chapter, a war chapter with the Occuria, an epilogue chapter, and then a timeline to wrap it all up. I'm not going to count my customary 'END' chapter where I answer reviews after I've finished the story.**

**So, take a gander through the story now and tell me what you think of the improvements. I can always use feedback. Maybe then I won't withhold a chapter for over a year. ...maybe.**

**Rozzarian Empire  
**

**692 O.V.-715 O.V.: Emperor Alehandro Margrace the III: Lived 665 O.V.-715 O.V.: 50 Years Old. Reigned for 23 years.  
**

**715 O.V.-731 O.V.: Emperor Al-Cid de Margrace the X: Lived 690 O.V.-731 O.V.: 41 Years Old. Reigned for 16 years.  
**

**731 O.V.-771 O.V.: 'Dual Uncentralized Authority': the maintenance of the 'Rozzarian' Empire whilst the urban and rural powers are non-cooperative.  
**

**771 O.V.-789 O.V.: Rozzarian Civil War**

**Myancizar Empire (Restored Rozzarian Noble Republic, aka, R.R.N.R.)  
**

**789 O.V.-826 O.V.: Emperor Wetherby Muyo of Myancizar the I: Lived 698 O.V.-826 O.V.: 128 Years Old. Reigned for 37 years.  
**

**826 O.V.-844 O.V.: The Regency for the heir-apparent and only son of Wetherby the I, Wykanok.  
**

**844 O.V.-Present: Emperor Wykanok Muyo of Myancizar the I: Lived 826 O.V.-Present: 18 Years Old. Reigned for 1 year (thus far).  
**


	12. Dorstonis Under Hugh

**AN: I do not own any part of the Final Fantasy XII universe except the crazy ideas I may write about for your viewing pleasure.**

**(Story)**

You come here in the dew of the inky night expecting more of the story? While I lay here upon my death bed you expect me to fill your mind with the fantasy of the past so that you may rise in rank. Fine. Very well. Let it never be said that I dared not venture into death without the word of the Past upon my lips.

With the defeat of Dorstonis in 784, and the destruction of the main line of the Ondore family, King Dio the I of Dalmasca made it mandatory that a representative from war-torn Rozzaria, the only power King Dio the I trusted at this point, to find a new prince for the disturbed sky-continent. Unlike the manner in which the Regent Redmis ended up crowning himself emperor of Archadia, the regent in charge of Dorstonis in the aftermath of the war of 784 set up an election to be held between the four principle cities of the sky-continent.

Bhujerba and the Ondore family expected to carry their title into the postwar era. But a coalition formed in opposition to them, having felt the tyranny of Prince Shemling the I and then the cold distance of Prince Halim the I. Instead, it was the prodigal Hugh of Yen who carried the majority of votes, a landslide victory over Halim's named heir: Morakos.

Prince Hugh the I's coronation turned the administrative focus of Dorstonis from Bhujerba to Yen. As the second largest city on the sky-continent, it had always been in close competition with Bhujerba, who prospered under the close ties with Dalmascan royalty. The first concern Prince Hugh would face, just hours after his coronation, was the deteriorating altitude of the sky continent from over-consumption of the magacite mines to fund to war. Prince Halim the I's war aims had cost his country a higher price still as part of the reparations included an additional 30,000 tons of high value magacite.

Since this magacite was of the overrefined quality, having sat within the sky-continent for the past 8,000 years, and none on hand, to actually meet this peace demand would mean a certain plummet into the Naldoan Sea below. On the other hand, failure to meet the peace demand would give King Dio full _causa bellum_ to make any demands he wanted: including total surrender.

Prince Hugh's plight was a tricky path to navigate, especially when King Dio refused to agree to a payment plan, demanding a lump sum, although it was never spoken that he had hopes of creating natural magacite mines beneath Rabanastre, or at least below the city Nebra.

Among his greater and momentous decisions, Prince Hugh gave the authority to remove the high value magacite. Yet the plan was to remove it in the correct order to have Dorstonis descend away from the land-continents, further out into the Naldoan Sea. This would place them closer to the Duchy of Balfonheim where Hugh would foster good relations with the burgeoning, if underdeveloped, Duke Bardly's True Archadian Empire.

When Dorstonis descended into the sea, after a slow descent over 14 years, it was already 798. For the next 62 years, Prince Hugh the I and Duke Bardly the I would foster very close ties. So close, in fact, they repealed tariffs between their respective ports (803); they formed a mutual non-aggression pact (808); they granted reduced difficulties in transportation between their borders (817); they formed a true 'alliance' despite the supposed unification of the Archadian Empire (831); and they went so far as to form an economic and demographic union: the Naldoan Union (839) which granted equal citizenship to the others' citizens in their own state, removed all economic barriers between the two states, adopted the same currency, and even fostered military support and coordination between the two with the Naldoan Union Navy, a subset of the two partner's navies which coordinated defense and patrols with the other two nationalized navies.

When Duke Bardly the I died and his heir, his grandson became Duke Bartholomew the III, only 17 years of age, and the economic disparity between Dorstonis and the Balfonheim Dukedom was unequal enough that Duke Bartholomew declared, without consultation, that the Naldoan Union was considering moving to the next stage into a full union of states.

The aged Prince Hugh avoided a full-scale meltdown of the union by meeting with a press conference in Dalmasca, where he was concluding further open relations between the two states, by saying that it had been discussed, but it was a topic being tabled in consideration of a greater union with the Dalmascan Kingdom: a full-on union of states in a loose confederation.

King Johnst the II of Dalmasca, who would live yet another 20 odd years, was alarmed by this prospect and diverted attention to his own warmed economic relations with the Western Archadian Empire with the new emperor, Emperor Carlington the II, and stated that the Naldoan Union was being considered for a graduation of Naldoan security and economic prosperity after the failed economic isolationism in the immediate postwar era.

Emperor Carlington the II of the Western Archadian Empire, another 19 year old monarch in the aftermath of his father's death, was now lobbed the toxic ball of the lie started in the Duchy of Balfonheim by his younger cousin, and so now had the dual duty of responsibility of expectation of four different states and the power of dictation of those terms.

Emperor Carlington the II, in light of a mass rally outside the palace in favor of an expanded Naldoan Union called for a 'Second' meeting of states to discuss Naldoan Union including both the Dalmascans and the Western Archadians.

With great satisfaction at having averted the new Duke's attempt to incorporate his country into his own, Prince Hugh greeted the Emperor's words with much favor and called for it to take place in Yen, at the Crystal Palace.

So it was in 864 that the four heads of states and their advisers met in the Crystal Palace to discuss the 'expansion of the Naldoan Union'. The meeting was a personal boon for Prince Hugh. The expansion conducted by both the Dalmascans and Archadians had outpaced his isolationist Dorstonis.

By late 864, the meeting had been dragging on for months, and only when their respective populations were growing restless, did the monarchs relent and present the draft for the new Naldoan Union.

**The Union of the Naldoan Sea Charter**

**Principle States**

**The Union of the Naldoan Sea shall consist of the following states in their present form, to be amended by their respective sovereigns or national governments: The Kingdom of Dalmasca, the Principality of Dorstonis, the Duchy of Balfonheim, and the Archadian Empire.**

**Subsistent States**

**The Union of the Naldoan Sea shall also consist of the following states in their present form, to be amended by their respective sovereigns or national governments, but lacking the voting power, unless otherwise amended: the city of Bur-Omisace, the Viera tribe of Golmore, and the Garif tribe of Ozmone.**

**Equal Citizenship**

**All states, principal and subsistent, shall grant free entry into their lands to citizens of other states, principal and subsistent, within the Union of the Naldoan Sea. **

**No citizen of another state, principal or subsistent, is to be discriminated against in other states, principal or subsistent, of the Union of the Naldoan Sea. This includes aid in both medical care, and temporary shelter of adequate measure as dictated by the Naldoan Council.**

**All citizens of the states, principal and subsistent, of the Union of the Naldoan Sea shall be eligible for seats on the supra-state government, including the Naldoan Council.**

**Naldoan Council**

**The Principal States are to be granted a percentage of seats of 100 with the percentage to be dictated by their population in comparison to the other states, principal and subsistent, populations. The first Council, consisting solely of monarchs of the four principal states shall dictate the laws of engagement in how these seats are to be obtained through election.**

**The Subsistent States shall hold no more than three seats each on the Naldoan Council in light of their distant practices, culture, and small populations.**

**The Naldoan Council shall consist of 100 seats elected by the states, principal and subsistent, of the Union of the Naldoan Sea with four additional seats reserved for the monarchs of the four principal states. Should the monarchs decline the reserved seat, they may seat someone in their stead.**

**The Naldoan Council shall supersede all other states of the Union of the Naldoan Sea in legislative matters of finance, war, and industry. Unless otherwise unspecified by the Naldoan Council, the states, principal and subsistent, are free to erect their own legislation.**

That's about all I remember from the charter. We still have the original over in the Museum of Historical Practical Jokes. You should take a look at it sometime young padawan. It would behoove you to absorb it as well as my own words. Go now.

We will finish the reign of Hugh another day.

**(Story)**

**AN: June 1st, 2012: Hey! Can you believe it's been half a year since I wrote consistently? I sure can! It has been bugging me that I haven't been putting out for you guys. So here's another chapter. I'll have an update by tonight as well since I don't have work. I also made an edit to a previous chapter since I wrote that King Johnst lived from 782 to 783 on accident.**

**Bhujerba Marche**

**669 O.V.-714 O.V.: Marquis Halim Ondore the IV: Lived 643 O.V.-716 O.V.: 73 Years Old. Reigned for 45 years.**

**714 O.V.-716 O.V.: The Regency for the advanced and senile Mqs. Halim Ondore the IV as observed by his heir-apparent, the Count Shemling Ondore. Reigned for 2 years.**

**716 O.V.-745 O.V.: Marquis Shemling Ondore the I: Lived 700 O.V.-771 O.V.: 71 Years Old. Reigned for 29 years.**

**In 745, the sky cities of Bhujerba, Yen, Terra, and Myelo (Mijelo) come together in the Dorstonian Union of city-states ruled over by the principal city.**

**Dorstonis Principality**

**745 O.V.-771 O.V.: Prince Shemling Ondore the I: Lived 700 O.V.-771 O.V.: 71 Years Old. Reigned for 26 years.**

**771 O.V.-784 O.V.: Prince Halim Ondore the I: Lived 749 O.V.-784 O.V.: 35 Years Old. Reigned for 13 years.**


End file.
